RENO, Nev. – The Reno Aces got off to a hot start in their final series of the season with the El Paso Chihuahuas, Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, by winning each of the first three games, but El Paso managed to salvage the series with a split by swiping the last three contests.
All three of the Aces’ wins were decided by three runs or less, including two by two-run victories in games two and three. However, the Chihuahuas countered by winning each of the final three contests by three runs or more, which started with a pair of four-run victories in games four and five.
Though Reno was able to split with El Paso, the Chihuahuas took the season series after taking each of the first two sets in El Paso by 4-2 totals. This is the second straight season in which El Paso has won the season series, taking last year by an 8-4 margin.
Reno put their previous week against Round Rock in the rearview mirror with a solid performance in their series opener against El Paso, using a four-run fourth to pull away for a 6-2 victory on Aug. 4.
Highlighting the big inning for the Aces was a three-run blast from Gavin Conticello, as his only hit of the game ensured that Reno would end their night with victory. That blast came immediately after the first run of the inning crossed on an error from a ball put in play by Christian Cerda.
Fans in attendance were treated to a stellar pitching performance on behalf of the Aces, one that saw six different Aces hurlers take the mound. First up was Michael Soroka as he started an injury rehab assignment today, making his first start and allowing one run on three hits with two walks and a strikeout.
Another Arizona Diamondback started a rehab assignment and made an appearance in the game as Blake Walston (1-0) worked a clean fifth frame to snatch the victory.
The offense got to work on Aug. 5 by blasting three home runs while the pitching staff, led by the fifth quality start of the season from Yu-Min Lin, kept the opposition at bay and led Reno to a 7-5 victory over El Paso.
Wednesday’s contest followed a similar script as Tuesday with the Chihuahuas breaking the scoreless tie before the Aces used a four-run frame to never look back. This time the large inning occurred during the third and was highlighted by a pair of dingers.
Leaving the yard first was Kristian Robinson, and he did so in a hurry as his one-out blast on the first pitch of the at-bat had an exit velocity of 114.5 mph. That marked the hardest hit ball by an Ace this season and was the fifth hardest hit home run in Greater Nevada Field history since daily tacking began in 2022.
Doing the rest of the damage in the inning was A.J. Vukovich, as he crushed a three-run homer out to center field from an 0-1 count. That was the eighth homer of the season for Vukovich, and the Aces are a perfect 8-0 when he leaves the yard. Even further, this was the 10th time this season Reno hit homers in the same inning and was their 11th multi-homer game since the start of July.
The offense was provided the opportunity to work thanks to Reno starter Lin, who picked up his second consecutive and fifth quality start of the season by allowing just two runs on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks in six full frames. Those five quality starts lead the Aces, and he has five of Reno’s eight such starts in 2026.
Reno kept the momentum rolling in game three of its series with El Paso on Aug. 6, using a five-run fourth to take control while pitching mostly stifled opposing bats resulting in a 6-4 Reno victory.
On the very first pitch of the night there was history made for the Aces as Tommy Henry made the 69th start of his Reno career, moving him past Charles Brewer (68) for sole possession of the franchise record.
Another large inning proved to be the main catalyst for the Aces as they scored five times in the fourth to take control of the contest. Two of the first three batters in the frame doubled, the first from Manuel Pena while Pavin Smith traded places two batters later.
The inning saw the final tallies scored on a two-run blast by Kristian Robinson, his second homer in as many days after he hit the hardest Aces homer of the season. That homer also gave Robinson a total of 10 on the season, making him the first Ace to reach double-digit big flies this year.
Henry checked out of the contest after the fifth inning with a trio of strikeouts and two walks while allowing four runs on six hits. The night ended in victory for Henry, the 20th of his Aces career which made him just the fifth hurler in Reno history to reach that total.
Reno’s bullpen was ready to take the baton as they combined on the final three run-free frames to preserve Henry’s victory. Taking on much of that effort was Roman Angelo, as he tossed 1.2 innings and struck out four of the six batters he faced while yielding a single hit.
The Aces opened the scoring in game four of their set with the El Paso Chihuahuas by scoring twice in the first frame, but their needed comeback bid fell short in the end as El Paso avoided a series sweep by handing Reno an 8-6 defeat on Aug. 7.
For the first time in the series, it was the Aces that scored the game’s first runs by plating two with their first set of swings. Reno immediately put their first two batters aboard with a walk and hit by pitch, all resulting in a Manuel Pena RBI groundout and a Pavin Smith RBI single through the left side.
It took until the fifth for the Aces to start their comeback, doing so by joining the home run party as Gavin Conticello kicked off the frame by crushing his fourth homer of the Triple-A season.
An inning later and Reno pulled within striking distance, plating a trio of runs in the home half of the sixth. While the first was a bases loaded walk to Conticello, earning him his second RBI of the night, the final two runs of the inning came courtesy a Demetrio Crisantes two-RBI single into center field.
A grand slam from Adrian Del Castillo in the fourth inning had knotted the contest for the Aces on Aug. 8, but four runs from the Chihuahuas in the final two frames resulted in Reno running out of gas late in a 9-5 defeat.
Both teams plated a run with their first set of swings, as the Chihuahuas pushed home the game’s first run on a double play while Crisantes matched it for the Aces with a sacrifice fly.
Though it took until the bottom of the fourth for Reno to equalize, they plated all four at once as the third homer of the season from Del Castillo was blasted in grand slam fashion. Sitting in a fresh count, Del Castillo hammered a slider deep over the wall in right to knot the contest with the third grand slam of his professional career.
Charged with the loss was Blake Walston, and he has now factored into the decision in both appearances of his rehab assignment. The single tally he allowed was unearned, and he punched out one with one hit allowed in the process.
Reno scored just one batter into their first set of swings and took the lead twice during the game on Aug. 9, but in the end a 7-4 win by El Paso on Sunday meant a split in their six-game set.
In the final day of the series the Aces kicked off the scoring, doing so with a bang from Kristian Robinson. Digging in to lead off the home half of the first, Robinson launched a 3-1 cutter from Joe Musgrove a total of 368 feet over the wall in right field.
That blast represented the fifth leadoff home run of the season for Reno, but Robinson is the first Ace to do it more than once. Additionally, it was the third of his professional career, and the first leadoff homer by an Ace since Anderdson Rojas on July 9 against Round Rock.
The Aces had pulled back in front for a second time two innings later in the bottom of the sixth, doing so on a Danny Serretti sacrifice fly while Gavin Conticello delivered a two-RBI single in the subsequent at-bat that pushed the score to 4-1.
Bryce Jarvis served as an opener for the Aces and tossed two scoreless innings, though he did allow three hits and a walk with one strikeout. Dylan Ray entered the following frame and allowed only a single run on two hits with three strikeouts in three innings.
Though he had just eight at-bats, Adrian Del Castillo had four hits to lead the way for Reno with three of them going for extra-bases in addition to four RBI. Gavin Conticello also cleared the .400 mark by hitting .421 for the week, launching two of his eight hits for homers with a team-best six RBI.
The Aces will now have an extended road trip as they embark on a pair of six-game sets at Tacoma and Salt Lake. This trip starts against the Rainiers at Cheney Stadium on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 12:05 p.m. PT.