ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Reno Aces flipped the tables on the Round Rock Express in game two of their set, this time holding their opponents to a single run as Reno secured a 4-1 victory on Wednesday.
Tonight’s victory saw the Aces (17-12/49-55) overcome a first-inning Express (16-13/47-57) lead, as John Taylor drove home the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly just two batters into the bottom of the first. Jarred Kelenic had gotten the party started with a leadoff triple.
That was the only run that Reno would allow despite numerous other chances for Round Rock, as Logan Mercado made just his second Triple-A start but did not allow another hit despite walking three and striking out one in three frames.
Kristian Robinson took Mercado off the hook in the top of the third with two outs when he ensured that a leadoff double from Danny Serretti did not go by the wayside by singling into center field.
One inning later in the top of the fourth is when the Aces took the lead for good. It happened quickly as Pavin Smith hammered a 1-1 changeup deep over the wall in right field for his first homer of the 2026 Triple-A season.
Batting with two outs and two on, Christian Cerda brought home the second run of the frame when he singled through the left side to score Jose Fernandez.
Reno’s final tally of the night was another two-out knock, this time from Serretti as he turned a Fernandez walk and stolen base into a 4-1 lead with a liner into the left-center gap.
As the offense was building its lead, the bullpen held the Express without a run for the second time in as many games. The trio of Kade Strowd (3-2), Philip Abner, and Spencer Giesting combined on five run-free frames and five hits (two each from Strowd and Giesting), and Strowd punched out four of the seven hitters he faced.
Bryce Jarvis was called upon in the ninth and converted his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth with one strikeout and hit batsman. That was the first save of his MiLB career, as his only other save came last season with Arizona June 10, 2025 against Seattle.
That preserved the win for Strowd, his third of the season, while Abner notched his fifth and Giesting his third holds of the season.
Only Serretti had a multi-hit night by going 2-for-3 with a double, run scored, RBI and walk, while Smith made his only hit count with the big fly. Fernandez reached a total of four times in the game, going 1-for-1 with three walks and a pair of run scored.
The Aces have even the series at 1-1, meaning both sides will look to regain the edge in game three of the series on Thursday at 4:45 p.m. PT from Dell Diamond.