Diamondbacks Minor League Recap 4/5/2022: Reno has their Opening Day before Arizona?

In this weird 2022 season, it will be the Arizona Diamondbacks’ AAA affiliate who gets to play baseball first by a matter of two days. Only one game to recap for this one, with the Reno Aces being the one lucky team to play tonight.

Notable Prospect Performances

• Reno CF Alek Thomas: 2 for 4, BB, RBI
• Reno SP Ryne Nelson: 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 6 K, 70 pitches (47 strikes)

Reno Aces 2, Las Vegas Aviators 3

D-backs pitching prospect Ryne Nelson fared decently in his first look with the Aces. In a 3-inning start he allowed 1 run on 4 hits, 1 walk, and 6 strikeouts despite struggling with pitch count as he needed 70 pitches to get those 9 outs. Reno would take a quick 2-0 lead, with Matt Davidson hitting his homer of the minor league season in the first. A couple singles plus a catcher’s interference loaded the bases with no outs, but the Aces were only able to get 1 run out of the frame on a 2-out walk by Alek Thomas. Reno’s situational hitting was not up to par, going 1 for 9 with RISP and stranding 10 runners despite getting gifted 7 walks in the game. The inability for them to take advantage of these walks would come back to haunt them late in the game.

The Aviators would chip away, scoring in the third off Nelson then putting up another run in the 4th off Edwin Uceta. With two outs, a throwing error by catcher Grayson Greiner on a stolen base attempt allowing Luis Barrera to get to third with two outs and he would score on Buddy Reed’s RBI single. Uceta would strike out 4 in his three innings of work, giving the Aces a chance to take the lead. Kyle Nelson came in for the 7th and would walk 2 and strike out 3 in an effectively wild inning. Matt Peacock would not be as lucky in the 8th, as a pair of two-out hits resulted in the Aviators pulling off a last at-bat win. Alek Thomas would open up the 9th with a single but would be immediately erased on a double-play ball when Ryan Castellani caught a comebacker off the bat of Braden Bishop and threw it to first to complete the play. Matt Davidson would work a full count before getting rung on a pitch that Pitch F/X has being below the strike zone.