SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
SALT LAKE CITY- Cesar Valdez allowed just a run over five innings of work, and three Aces relievers ensured Salt Lake would get no more on Monday afternoon, as the Reno Aces closed out the 2010 season with 3-1 victory over the Bees at Spring Mobile Ballpark.
Reno jumped out early in the final game of the season, scoring twice in the first inning thanks to a run-scoring groundout by Cole Gillespie and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jeff Bailey. The Aces would tack-on an insurance run in the ninth on an RBI single for Ed Rogers, and that would be all Reno would need.
Nick Gorneault tapped Valdez for a solo home run in the fifth inning, but that tally would be all Salt Lake would get on the afternoon.
Valdez (6-10) scattered just three hits and three walks on the day, striking out five. Jose Marte and Rafael Rodriguez worked a scoreless frame out of the Aces bullpen, before Jason Urquidez came on in the eighth and recorded the final six outs of the game in order to close out the proceedings.
The hard-luck loss fell to Bees starter Eric Junge (5-3), who surrendered two runs-just one earned-with eight strikeouts over seven innings of work.
At the dish for Reno, Yunesky Sanchez and Mark Hallberg collected two hits apiece in a seven-hit effort for the Aces. Doug Deeds singled to extend his hitting streak to six games, and he will finish with a team-leading .302 batting average.
The Aces finish the 2010 season at 69-74, good for third place in the Pacific Coast League’s Pacific Southern Division. The Aces will begin the 2011 campaign on Thursday, April 7 against the Salt Lake Bees at Spring Mobile Ballpark. Reno opens its 2011 home schedule on Friday, April 15 against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox at Aces Ballpark.
Full- and partial-season tickets are available now by calling the Reno Aces at (775) 334-4700 or by visiting RenoAces.com<http://renoaces.com/>. The brand-new Freight House District, located just outside Aces Ballpark, is open seven days a week throughout the offseason.
