Reno Aces at 51s
Reno Aces at 51s
■ WHEN: 7:05 p.m. today through Saturday
■ WHERE: Cashman Field
■ RECORDS: Aces 34-46, 51s 37-43
■ AFFILIATIONS: Reno, Arizona Diamondbacks; Las Vegas, Toronto Blue Jays
■ TODAY'S PITCHERS: Aces RHP Matt Torra (4-5, 3.96 ERA) vs. 51s RHP Lance Broadway (2-7, 6.83)
■ RADIO: KBAD-AM (920)
■ SERIES NOTES: The in-state rivals split their inaugural 16-game season series last year, but the 51s won the Silver State Diamond Challenge by virtue of a draw of the cards. Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman drew a seven to beat Reno Mayor Bob Cashell, who drew a six. ... The Aces have won three of the first four games between the teams this season. Reno features the No. 4 prospect in Arizona's organization in infielder Brandon Allen. The 51s will present a postgame fireworks show Friday and Saturday at Cashman Field. In seven games with Las Vegas, third baseman Edwin Encarnacion is batting .438 (14-for-32) with three home runs and 13 RBIs. But he also has made five errors. Shortstop Mike McCoy and outfielder Aaron Mathews also have excelled in limited action for Las Vegas. McCoy is hitting .317 (13-for-41) with three homers and five RBIs in nine games, and Mathews is batting .337 (32-for-95) with five homers and 14 RBIs in 26 games. After recording wins in their past three games over league-leading Fresno, the 51s are 19-21 on the road and 18-22 at home. They can match their longest win streak of the season today with a victory. ... Las Vegas went 16-12 in June, its first winning month of the season, after going 10-20 in May and 11-11 in April. The 51s are second in the Pacific Coast League in batting, with a .299 average, and lead the league in homers, with 96. But Las Vegas is last in the PCL in ERA, at 5.97.
