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Reno Wins Pacific Coast League Championship Game 6-2
A solid start from pitching prospect Brandon Pfaadt, great defense, and clutch hitting was enough for the Reno Aces to defeat the El Paso Chihuahuas 6-2. Pfaadt did have anywhere close to his best stuff, but allowed just two runs in five innings despite giving up ten hits and walking two. Reno played airtight defense and the bullpen fired four scoreless innings. Las Vegas native Jake Hager was named the game's Most Valuable Player, hitting a 409-foot home run in the second to give Reno a 4-0 lead.
Reno's defense was smothering on the night. They turned two double plays and cut down a runner at home plate on an extra base hit.
Dominic Fletcher and Blaze Alexander perfectly executed the relay throw to home, which was critical as it was evident by then that Pfaadt was on the ropes. Fletcher ended the fourth with a nice running catch on a potential blooper. El Paso chipped closer in the fifth, but Pfaadt made a nice play on a swinging bunt to end that inning.
On the other side, the Chihuahuas had four errors on the night, including a couple of big miscues that preceded a long three-run home run by Hager in the second. The home run allowed Reno to play downhill baseball the rest of the way and put the pressure on El Paso early.
Alek Thomas had two hits and walked in five trips to the plate.
Blaze Alexander was hitless in four at-bats, but reached twice on a hit by pitch and a fielding error by El Paso center fielder Thomas Milone. The hit-by-pitch started what would end up being a four-run bottom of the second.
Fletcher finished 1-for-4 with a big RBI hit in the sixth inning that pushed Reno's lead to 5-2 at the time.
Dominic Canzone had an infield single and reached on an error in Reno's four-run second.
The trio of Tyler Holton, Mitchell Stumpo, and J.B. Wendelken combined for four scoreless innings on one hit, three walks, and four strikeouts.
The Aces will play the International League champion for the Triple-A National Championship Sunday in Las Vegas.
