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LAS VEGAS — Jake Hager is no stranger to going yard in Sin City; he grew up here. Hager played the better part of three seasons in the visiting dugout at Las Vegas Ballpark.
And on Friday, it was a Hager homer in Nevada that keyed Triple-A Reno’s 6-2 victory over El Paso in the Pacific Coast League championship as part of the Triple-A Triple Championship Weekend.
The Aces scored first in the bottom of the second on a Dominic Miroglio single to right that got away from right fielder Taylor Kohlwey, allowing Blaze Alexander to score. Hager then broke the game open with a three-run jack to left-center that went 409 feet.
With the latest dinger, half of Hager’s 2022 homers have come in Las Vegas, after the D-backs infielder cleared the fences twice during the regular season in the Aviators’ ballpark.
Miroglio totaled three knocks, while Dominic Fletcher ripped an RBI single and Seth Beer capped Reno’s scoring with an RBI triple — the second three-bagger of his career.
The Aces were strong on the mound too, starting with Minor League strikeout king Brandon Pfaadt. MLB’s No. 90 overall prospect held the Chihuahuas to two runs on 10 hits and two walks with three punchouts in five frames. Relievers Tyler Holton, Mitchell Stumpo and J.B. Wendelken spun four scoreless frames to close out the game.
Reno will now await the winner of the International League championship on Saturday — either Nashville or Durham — in the Triple-A National Championship on Sunday. All games are free on MLB.TV and MiLB.TV.
