Reno Aces Bats and Arms Come Alive in 8-2 Win

The Reno Aces, Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, had a standout game in all facets on Thursday evening as they beat the Tacoma Rainiers 8-2 in Reno, Nevada. They are now 3-3 on the season.

The Aces' offense excelled and was led by none other than Tim Tawa and Jordan Lawlar. Tawa went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run. He was smoking the ball non-stop with four balls hit over 103 MPH exit velocity. Shockingly, only two landed for doubles, and none went over the fence. Tawa now has 12 RBI already.

He's excelling in Reno and is now hitting .391 with an OPS of 1.419. He's showcasing that he has very little left to develop in Triple-A and should be a top contender to get a call soon to the Majors should there be a need in the D-backs' outfield.

No.1 prospect Lawlar had a three-hit day with three RBI and a run scored. All three hits were singles, but he's playing extremely well. He's developing a patient approach as he had a walk on the day and was selective about which pitches to swing at. While he still needs more time to develop, the versatile infielder is proving that he is on the right track to reach the Majors once again this season.

Speaking to Aces' broadcaster Nash Walker, Lawlar shared after the game, "I love playing baseball. It's even better when I'm playing with this group of guys. I couldn't be any happier."

He was asked what his goal is after Spring Training, and responded, "Continue to be an all-around player, get better every day. Come to the field with a goal of knowing what I want to improve. Day-in, day-out, keep putting in the work knowing that in the end, it'll all pay off."

One other standout, though he isn't a prospect, is Trey Mancini. He recorded two hits, including a double. He scored two runs and worked a walk in five plate appearances. In total, the team had 11 hits and four walks in a rough pitching performance by the Rainers. Tacoma starter Logan Evans gave up five of the runs and eight hits.

As for the pitching side, Yilber Diaz got the start, his second one of the season, and he pitched with authority in the high elevation. Over 4.2 innings, he had five hits, one run, three walks, and five strikeouts. 52 of his 89 pitches were for strikes as he's getting better at staying in the zone. Diaz leads the Pacific Coast League in strikeouts with 11.

A top relief contender for the Majors, Kyle Backhus, appeared later in the game. The left-hander struggled, with two hits, a wild pitch, and a run allowed, but did strike out three. It appeared that he was mislocating, but was still able to get enough of the plate.

Right-hander Juan Morillo continued to torment hitters with his electric fastball and slider. The man who routinely hits 99 or 100 mph devastated the Rainers in the ninth inning with a strikeout and walk in a scoreless inning. He's pitched two strong innings so far this season.

Should he continue this and be able to locate more in the strike zone while preventing walks, he could be the team's next Justin Martinez-like pitcher that could be regularly throwing upper 90s and into the 100s with ease in MLB.

The Reno Aces play the Rainers once again Friday evening at 6:05 p.m. MST. They have three games left in their series before the Aces go on the road.