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The start of a season-long 12-game road trip for the Las Vegas Aviators could provide an opportunity to make up ground in the standings.
Las Vegas is coming off a five-loss series to Oklahoma City. It blew three series leads in the process.
Entering the six-game series last Tuesday, the Aviators were atop the Pacific Coast League West but would slide to fifth by the conclusion of the week.
Now, Las Vegas will look toward its intra-state rival Reno for a six-game road series in northern Nevada. That series is set to begin Tuesday, Aug. 20 from Greater Nevada Field. Tuesday, L, 2-1
It’s now three straight losses for the Aviators following a, 2-1, loss to the Aces in the series opener Tuesday night.
The game was scoreless through the first seven innings while Las Vegas’ offense produced twice as many hits as its opponent.
Ample opportunities just weren’t enough for the Aviators as it missed key chances to put runs on the board. A leadoff double in the third inning would go for not after a strikeout and groundout put the pressure on. Even after a walk, the base runner would be caught stealing for the final out of the inning.
An inning later, the frame would open with a single and a walk but three consecutive flyouts ended the scoring chance. In the sixth inning, the team had two-on with one out but would once again fly out back-to-back times.
As a result, Las Vegas went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position while leaving six runners on base.
The offense received seven strong pitching innings beginning with starter Gunnar Hoglund, who skirted his way around danger several times.
With the bases loaded in the first inning with one out, Hoglund induced the inning-ending double play. He also gave up a one-out double in the third but would work around it with a fly out and a strikeout immediately after.
He worked five scoreless innings of three-hit baseball with four strikeouts and two walks. Reliever Jack O’Loughlin followed him up with two more scoreless innings with one hit allowed while recording a strikeout and a walk.
The game’s most impactful inning was the eighth beginning with a one-out solo home run from second baseman-turned-shortstop Nick Allen. At that point, it was 1-0, Las Vegas.
With reliever Zach Jackson on the mound in the bottom half, he coughed up three straight walks to load the bases before being yanked. Reno would capitalize with an RBI single and RBI hit-by-pitch off fellow reliever Pedro Santos.
Jackson got the loss to drop to 3-5 on the year after a three-walk, two-run performance.
Wednesday, W, 5-2
For the most part, the same opportunities from yesterday presented themselves again with Las Vegas being able to jump on the chance and earn its first win of the series.
By getting the win, the Aviators have ended a three-game losing streak.
The first two innings looked eerily similar to Tuesday’s loss with a couple of chances to score with runners on but to no avail. In the third inning, shortstop Jacob Wilson drove in a run on an RBI single with one out, bringing home the leadoff double.
Las Vegas took the lead in a subtle way in the sixth inning on a force out with two-on and one out. An inning later, second baseman Armando Alvarez took advantage of a bases loaded, two-out situation as he cleared the bases with a three-run double to take a 5-1 lead.
Starting pitcher Brandon Bielak relied on the defense in his start beginning in the first inning. A leadoff single got into scoring position with a stolen base before he’d get out of the inning with a flyout, groundout and another flyout.
In the second, Bielak walked the leadoff man and induced a double play followed by a flyout to avoid that trouble. The real trouble came in the fourth inning when the Aces opened their half with back-to-back doubles to tie the game at one apiece.
Bielak gave up just one run on three hits in his five innings on the mound with a walk to his credit. He is now 2-3 on the year after receiving the win.
Fellow pitcher Will Klein received a hold while righty Jack Cushing earned his second save of the year.
Thursday, L, 7-3
It was a slow build again for Las Vegas on Thursday and it was ultimately burned by a five-run seventh inning from Reno. It also lost two leads in the process.
With reliever Austin Pruitt on the mound, he struck out the first batter he saw but would allow a solo home run right after to tighten the game at 3-2 in favor of Las Vegas.
That would turn into back-to-back singles which set up the game-tying RBI single from the Aces. Nearly out of the inning with two outs recorded, the home team would add two more on a double.
Pruitt would be taxed for five runs on six hits in his ⅔ of an inning with two strikeouts. He not only got the blown save but also was saddled with the loss to fall to 3-2 on the year with an ERA of 11.81.
Pitcher Brady Basso started the game and gave his team six strong innings with one run surrendered on three hits with three strikeouts and a walk. His one run allowed came on a solo home run in the fourth inning to tie the game at one.
Las Vegas lost two leads beginning with an early 1-0 advantage spotted to the team by third baseman Armando Alvarez on an RBI double to drive in shortstop Jacob Wilson. In last night’s win, he drove in three runs on a double in the seventh inning.
Wilson netted the team the other lead in the seventh inning with a two-run double following a bases loaded situation with one out tallied. He now has three RBI in his last two games.
Friday, L, 8-5
No lead was held in this one as Las Vegas played catch-up most of the night. It can now only split this series with Reno as it needs two consecutive weekend wins.
The Aces grabbed the reins early behind a big four-run third inning. Half of those runs came with two outs on a two-run triple. They would add another run off starting pitcher Robert Dugger in the fifth inning to take a 5-0 lead.
Dugger would give up five runs on nine hits in four innings with four strikeouts and three walks. He suffered his first loss of the season as a result to fall to 4-1 on the year.
At one point, the Aviators cut the deficit down to two but would have it pushed back again off reliever Corey Avant.
Reno opened the seventh inning with a double, single and hit-by-pitch to load the bases. It would later score runs on an RBI sacrifice fly and two-run double to take an 8-3 lead.
Avant would work 2.1 innings, giving up three runs on three hits with a walk recorded.
Though spotty, the Aviators did produce some offense. Left fielder Logan Davidson took the second pitch of his fifth inning at-bat yard to put the team on the board. In that same inning, teammate Jordan Diaz would add another run via a two-out RBI single.
There was a light spark in the ninth inning when Las Vegas scored runs on a force out and an RBI single but Davidson struck out to end the game.
Saturday, W, 7-4
The series split is still possible after a recent win for the Aviators over the intra-state rival Aces. It was a pair of eighth inning runs to secure the victory after seven total runs in the first inning by both teams.
Las Vegas opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-run double from designated hitter Jordan Diaz. Soon after, third baseman Brett Harris would add another on an RBI sacrifice fly.
That three-run lead would evaporate in the bottom half beginning with a leadoff home run. Reno would get an RBI triple and additional two-run homer to take its first lead of the game.
Pitcher Jack O’Loughlin would get the no-decision after working just two innings where he gave up four runs on five hits while recording two strikeouts.
First baseman Drew Lugbauer tied the game with an RBI double with one out recorded in the third inning as his only hit in five at-bats.
Left fielder Armando Alvarez provided the game’s second lead change with an RBI single in the fifth inning to give the Aviators the, 5-4, advantage. He went 3-for-5 on the night with three singles, an RBI, a run scored and a strikeout.
The team really edged away in the eighth inning behind an RBI triple from center fielder Cooper Bowman who did it in pinch-hit fashion. That would be followed up by second baseman Nick Allen who scored another run on an RBI sacrifice bunt.
Allen went 2-for-3 in the win with a single, double, RBI, two runs scored, a strikeout and a walk.
Las Vegas’ bullpen combined to allow just six hits over seven scoreless innings despite seven walks. Reliever Jack Cushing got the win to improve to 2-0 on the year. He recorded the save on Wednesday.
Fellow pitchers Danis Correa and Will Klein received holds while righty Pedro Santos got the save in this one.
Sunday, L, 21-3
A football-esque score was the result as Las Vegas fell flat in its series finale against Reno. It turned ugly late for the Aviators as they suffered their second straight series loss.
The Aces scored 19 runs in three innings beginning with two grand slams off relief pitcher Austin Pruitt in the fifth inning. He’d get the loss as he gave up eight runs on five hits in ⅔ of an inning with a walk.
Three more runs would score in the sixth off fellow reliever Corey Avant. Pitcher Drew Conover would issue three straight RBI walks before recording his first Triple-A strikeout in his debut at the level.
By then, it was 14-1 in favor of the home team. Position player Yohel Pozo would eventually take the mound in the seventh inning with the game well out of reach.
Las Vegas’ bullpen gave up 19 runs on 14 hits in 2.2 innings with just one strikeout versus eight walks. Pozo, however, gave up just a run on three hits with a walk in his 1 ⅓ inning on the mound.
Starting pitcher Kyle Muller worked four innings, giving up a run on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
Third baseman Armando Alvarez hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to give the Aviators a now-forgotten 1-0 lead. In the series, he batted .391 in the short period with two doubles, a homer and six RBI.
Shortstop Jacob Wilson was responsible for the remaining offense which came in the seventh inning on his two-run double with two outs.
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