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A new year of baseball is upon us.
After going 74-75 last season, this year’s Las Vegas Aviators are gearing up for a new campaign beginning Friday, March 28.
The new season begins with a renewal of the Silver State rivalry with the Reno Aces. Last year, the rivals up north won the second half after winning 44 of the 74 games played.
In 2024, Reno took 11 of the 21 meetings in the nearly split series. Those numbers included sweeping Las Vegas in a three-game series to open the new year.
This time around, the three-game set will be the start of a nine-game homestand for the Aviators to start 2025.
Overall, Las Vegas is 18-23 in season openers with a 2-3 mark from Las Vegas Ballpark.
Game one of the new year is set to take place this Friday with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m.
Friday, W, 3-2
Starting pitcher J.T. Ginn set the tone right away as part of a 3-2 season-opening win for the Aviators over the Aces.
Ginn struck out the side in the game’s opening inning. He’d serve up a leadoff single in the next inning but would get out of danger with a double play before getting out of the inning by picking off a previously walked batter.
Through the first three innings of the game, Ginn had faced the minimum to go along with five strikeouts, an induced double play, picked off a runner and fielded a pop-up behind the mound.
Ginn would eventually work five scoreless innings of one-hit ball with eight strikeouts and just one walk while facing the minimum including eight straight on his way out the door. He compiled the stat line on 69 pitches, 44 of which were strikes.
Reno scored its first run of the game off reliever Jake Walkinshaw in the sixth inning.
Ultimately, the visitors would be held to just four hits in the loss as right-hander Elvis Alvarado earned the save on night one.
As it always does, opening night provided a series of firsts. Shortstop Darell Hernaiz belted the club’s first homer run of the season to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. He’d go 2-for-3 with a single, home run and walk.
Number four overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft Nick Kurtz made his Triple-A debut and smacked a double into the outfield for his first hit at the level in the third inning. In the top of the fourth, he made his first highlight reel defensive play when he snagged a line drive at first base.
Kurtz went 1-for-3 in his debut with a double and a walk.
Catcher Daniel Susac also tallied his first Triple-A hit in the form of a single before also recording a double as part of a 2-for-4 night.
Center fielder Denzel Clarke had a lot of firsts in his Triple-A debut including his first hit, walk, stolen base and run scored.
The run scored by Clarke came in the bottom of the fifth inning off an RBI single from designated hitter Esteury Ruiz. With the score 2-0 in favor of the home team, the Aviators loaded the bases with two outs. A groundout would end the additional scoring chance.
Right fielder Colby Thomas added another insurance run in the home half of the eighth with the team’s second solo shot of the night.
Saturday, W, 10-3
Infielders Darell Hernaiz and Nick Kurtz powered Las Vegas to a second straight win to open the new season in a, 10-3, victory over Reno Saturday night.
Hernaiz got the scoring going in the bottom of the first inning with a two-run double in a hit-and-run situation.
Kurtz drove in another run with an RBI double on the first pitch he saw in the home half of the fifth. In that same inning, Hernaiz hit his second double of the night to plate another run.
An inning later, Kurtz would launch his first Triple-A home run over the wall to push the lead to 10-1. He went 3-for-4 finishing a triple shy of the cycle with three RBI, four runs scored and a walk.
The tandem of Kurtz and Hernaiz accounted for six of the team’s first seven runs of the season.
In addition to hitters two and three in the lineup, hitters four and five combined to add two RBI on a single and double with a run scored and two walks while helping to extend the win to a lopsided one.
Right fielder Colby Thomas took advantage of another hit-and-run scenario in the first inning for an RBI single. Third baseman CJ Alexander tallied another run on an RBI double in the third inning to give the home team a 4-1 lead.
Catcher Willie MacIver made his Aviator debut out of the seven spot in the lineup and would record his first Las Vegas hit in the fifth inning in the form of a double to drive in two more runs.
Starting pitcher Mason Barnett allowed three walks to the first eight batters he faced. In the top of the third, he walked the bases loaded before being pulled from the mound. He’d leave the game after working 2 ⅔ innings of one-run ball with two hits allowed to go along with three strikeouts versus six walks.
Reliever Jack Cushing would end the inning with a strikeout to avoid danger. He’d do the same thing to finish the frame an inning later. He’d later be credited for the win.
That would help spark a run where the bullpen would retire eight straight Aces batters in the middle innings.
Sunday, L, 9-4
For the first time this season, Las Vegas trailed in a game on the way to its first loss of the season in a, 9-4, loss in the series finale against Reno from Las Vegas Ballpark.
The Aces grabbed its first lead of the series in the top of the second inning on a fielder’s choice after loading the bases with one out.
Starting pitcher Gunnar Hoglund was done after four innings finishing with two runs surrendered on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks.
Opposing starter Cristian Mena tossed 4 ⅔ scoreless innings with three hits, four strikeouts and two walks.
Third baseman Brett Harris made the start as part of a rehab assignment and encountered some hang-ups in the infield. His error in the seventh inning helped the visitors tie the game at three apiece.
In the batter’s box, he went 1-for-3 with a single, stolen base and two strikeouts.
Reno would later take the lead for good on a two-run single two batters later. Reliever Tyler Baum would be saddled with the team’s first loss of the season.
It was a slow start for the Las Vegas offense even with some opportunities being provided. With two-on and nobody out in the first inning, the team grounded into a double play ahead of another groundout.
In the fourth inning, two baserunners would be left stranded after a strikeout and flyout ended the frame. The Aviators would suffer their first 1-2-3 inning in the fifth.
The series would see its first lead change in the sixth inning behind a pair of first-time Las Vegas home runs by designated hitter-turned-third baseman CJ Alexander and center fielder Drew Avans. Alexander recorded a solo shot while Avans’ blast drove in two.
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