RENO, Nev. – Two different Aces finished just one leg shy of hitting for the cycle on Sunday, but the combined six hits and seven RBI from Jose Fernandez and A.J. Vukovich still powered Reno to an 11-5 win in the series finale against the Tacoma Rainiers.
Quickly the Aces (16-11/48-54) stuck in the home half of the first thanks to Fernandez as he made sure to capitalize on a leadoff single from Kristian Robinson despite two subsequent outs by launching his fifth homer of the season out to left center.
The Rainiers (11-16/44-58) used their own two-out knock in the top of the second to pull back within one, with Stuart Fairchild earning the RBI on a single into right field.
Vukovich stepped up in the third and got that run back, ripping a single down the left field line that scored both Fernandez and LuJames Groover.
Unfortunately for the Aces, that lead disappeared in the top of the fifth when the Rainiers dropped three runs. The first of those tallies came on respective RBI singles from Ryan Bliss and the rehabbing Rob Refsnyder, while Michael Arroyo added a sacrifice fly just after.
For the first time in the game Tacoma took the lead, as a sixth-inning Victor Labrada double put the Aces back on their heels.
Undeterred, Vukovich crushed his seventh homer of the season to start the home half of the frame. That was the second homer in as many games for Vukovich (also homered on July 24), and the Aces entered the game with a record of 6-0 when the corner outfielder hits a dinger.
Entering the final stages locked at 6-6, the Aces broke the game open in a big way by producing a trio of seventh inning runs. Reno immediately loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt attempt that turned into a hit from Demetrio Crisantes.
A Groover sacrifice fly helped the Aces regain the advantage, but it was Fernandez who stuck the main blow in the frame as he tripled to right-center and brought home the other two runners. That three-bagger left Fernandez the alleged easiest leg away from the cycle with a single but still finished the contest with four RBI.
Vukovich was the other who ended his night just one leg shy of a cycle, as the last hit he needed was a three-bagger after he also doubled in the first. There has not been an Aces hitter to hit for the cycle since Cooper Hummel did so in Sacramento on July 31, 2021.
Reno added one last trio of insurance runs for good measure in the ninth, as Anderdson Rojas lifted off with his fifth big fly of the campaign, Demetrio Crisantes chipped in an RBI single, and Groover notched a three-bagger that scored Crisantes.
The pair of Fernandez and Vukovich accounted for six of the 12 hits and seven of the 10 runs produced, as each finished 3-for-4 while Fernandez scored twice to the one of Vukovich.
Rojas posted a solid effort by ending 2-for-4 with two runs scored and his homer, while Robison was the only other with a multi-hit game at 2-for-4 with three runs scored. This was the second consecutive game that Robinson scored three runs, the first Ace to do so this season and the eighth player in the PCL this season.
Ashton Izzi started and worked five full innings, allowing four runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts but did not factor into the decision. Picking up his first win of the season was Antonio Menedez (1-3), as he worked a clean seventh with one strikeout.
Tonight’s victory helped the Aces claim a 4-2 victory in the set, their third set win in the past four series. Reno will look to keep up the momentum in their next series when they head to Round Rock, Texas to battle the Express starting on Tuesday at 4:45 p.m. PT.