Diamondbacks Minor League Recap 4/6/2022: Stone Cold Garrett’s big night propels Aces to victory

AAA: Reno Aces 8, Las Vegas Aviators 7

A big night from Stone Garrett and the Reno bullpen had the Aces (1-1) picking up their first win of the 2022 season. Garrett recorded 3 hits, 2 for doubles, and a stolen base to propel the Aces lineup to a pair of big innings and the Reno bullpen delivered 5 innings of X-run ball to shut the door.

Notable Prospect Performances
CF Alek Thomas: 1 for 5

Looking to avenge their Opening Day lost, the Aces sent Tyler Gilbert on the mound. Gilbert narrowly lost out on a rotation spot this Spring, but had an opportunity to force his way back in. Gilbert ultimately would get tagged for 4 runs on 5 hits, 1 walk, and 4 strikeouts over 4 innings. The Aces would find themselves down 4-0 after the 4th, but would immediately rally back with 4 in the top of the 5th to tie. A leadoff walk by Buddy Kennedy would precede a Garrett double to right to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. After a pop fly out, four of the next five Aces would record a base hit.

Following a scoreless bottom of the 5th by Keynan Middleton, the Aces hitters would go back to work. In fact, the 6th would start very similarly to the 5th. Kennedy lead off the frame with another walk and Garrett would hit another double to right, this time scoring Kennedy from 1st and giving Reno the lead. With two outs in the inning, Camden Duzenack would provide some insurance, doubling down the LF line to plate Garrett from 3rd. Taylor Widener would come in with the lead and put together a 1-2-3 inning to close out the 6th.

In the 7th, Matt Davidson would deposit his 2nd homer in as many games to push the lead to three runs. Widener would allow a leadoff single in the 7th, but would induce a double play ball to face the minimum for the inning. Reno would score their 8th unanswered run with good baserunning by Garrett. After leading off the inning with a double, he would steal 2nd, take 3rd on a ground ball to the right side, then eventually score on a wild pitch. That 8th run would prove to be critical, as Widener got hammered in the 8th. The first two batters recorded extra base hits, the latter being a 2-run homer, and another hit would chase him from the game with 1 out. Mack Lemieux would allow Widener’s runner to score, but then would pick off a runner at 2nd, which would be huge as the next batter recorded a hit, then induce a ground out to end the frame with a 1-run lead.

Trying to pad the lead, Reno would get a single by Braden Bishop and would advanced to 2nd on a passed ball. Unfortunately he would get gunned down at 3rd thanks to a good play by A’s shortstop prospect Nick Allen. The Aces came up empty, leaving them to send Mitchell Stumpo to close things out. Stumpo would allow a 1-out single by Allen, but he would get Christian Lopes to fly out to center and struck out Eric Thames to close it out.