Caleb Clay was masterfully efficient in his debut with the Reno Aces Monday night, throwing strikes on 49 of 70 pitches and inducing three double plays in the first three innings to earn his first win of 2015.

The Cullman High product and 2006 first-round draft pick struck out five and was tagged for just three hits and two walks. The Aces led 1-0 when Clay exited after six innings and went on to edge the El Paso Chihuahuas 2-1.

The Aces, the Triple-A affiliate for the Arizona Diamondbacks, are 3-2.

Fellow former Bearcats Ben Moore, Chase Mallard and Josh Rutledge have also been busy early in their respective farm systems.

Moore made his first start for the Greenville Drive, the Single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, on Saturday, playing catcher and batting 2 for 3 with a double, RBI and two runs. His two-out single in the eighth sparked the go-ahead inning in a 6-4 win over Augusta GreenJackets.

Mallard made his first start Sunday for the Lansing Lugnuts, earning a no-decision in an extra-inning, 4-3 victory over the Fort Wayne TinCaps. Last year’s Conference USA Pitcher of the Year scattered four strikeouts, eight hits, three runs and no walks over five innings for the Toronto Blue Jays’ Single-A affiliate.

Rutledge, the initial favorite to win the starting second baseman job with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim after an offseason trade, enjoyed his best showing of the spring Monday for the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees. The former Colorado Rockie played shortstop and batted 2 for 5 with a double, an RBI and a run in a 9-8 loss to the Fresno Grizzlies to boost his average through five games to .227.