A reciprocating compressor including cylinder block with a plurality of cylinder bores. A piston is positioned in each bore and mounted to move in response to the a crankshaft, causing each piston to reciprocate within the cylinder bore. The compressor further includes a cylinder head, which includes bores corresponding to the bores in the cylinder block, and a suction port in fluid communication with a source of compressible gas and a plurality of suction plenum. Protrusions or ribs extend into the suction plenum. The cylinder head also includes a discharge plenum in communication with the outlet ports of the valve plate. Interposed between the cylinder head and the cylinder block is a valve plate assembly having a discharge valve, and a discharge valve retainer having a pair of radii assembled to the valve plate by snap fitting a cylinder head gasket over the discharge valve and retainer.