First sweep of season handed to Las Vegas out of All-Star break

Make it four lost series on the season for the Las Vegas Aviators as the team’s mid-season meltdown continues. This week’s lost series marked the team’s first lost series to not come at the hands of the Oklahoma City Comets.

Most recently, the team dropped all three home meetings against the Round Rock Express of the Texas Rangers organization.

Both clubs were coming off the all-star break but Las Vegas now falls to 10-11 in the second half while sporting an overall record of 59-36. It’s the first time at any point this season, the team has been under .500.

It’s important to note, the Aviators have already punched a ticket to the postseason this year after clinching the first half portion of the schedule. Interestingly enough, the team holds a 25-8 record against teams in the Western Division of the PCL while going 34-29 against teams from the Eastern Division of the league.

Las Vegas will look to shake off the rust for good in a six-game road series against Sacramento of the San Francisco Giants organization this upcoming week. That series is set to begin Tuesday, July 22 with first pitch slated for 6:45 p.m.

Friday, L, 6-5

A loss in the series opener means its two straight losses for the Aviators as it returns to action post all-star break.

A late push by Las Vegas was not enough after falling behind early at home.

Pitcher Ken Waldichuk (Tommy John Surgery) made his fifth rehab start and got jumped on almost immediately. Round Rock smacked a solo home run on the first pitch of the series to go up, 1-0. In the same inning the team would knock another one over the fence with two outs tallied.

Waldichuk has allowed 11 total runs in the first innings of his last three starts. He’d give up another homer in the fourth inning with two runners on to fall behind 5-0.

By the time he was pulled from the bump, Waldichuk had gone three innings with two runs allowed on two hits with five strikeouts and five walks. He is now 0-3 this year as he recovered from the major surgery.

The vital insurance run for the Express came in the sixth inning off relief pitcher Luis Morales in the form of the visitors third home run of the game. The one-out solo shot pushed the home team’s deficit to four runs at 6-2.

As a team, Aviators pitching didn’t compile their first 1-2-3 inning until the eighth inning.

Las Vegas’ offense began to pick up in the fourth inning when right fielder Colby Thomas recorded the team’s first hit via a solo blast of his own with two outs on the board. An inning later, teammate Logan Davidson would add another solo dinger for the team’s second run of the game.

The Aviators’ final productive push came in the bottom of the sixth inning behind a three-run moonshot from left fielder Carlos Cortes. He was named June’s Player of the Month for the Pacific Coast League.

Whatever air was left in the stadium came out when runners on 1st and 3rd with two outs in the home half eighth inning were stranded due to a strikeout.

Saturday, L, 7-3

Another loss to Round Rock has sent Las Vegas to a .500 record through the second half portion of the schedule thus far. Saturday’s loss also confirms the team will endure its fourth series loss of the year and the first not to Oklahoma City.

The Express used a four-run ninth inning to take a second straight road win inside of the Las Vegas Ballpark. With two runners on and an out tallied, Round Rock pushed a 3-1 lead to 5-1 on a two-run double. Soon after, two more runs came across to score behind back-to-back RBI doubles.

Starting pitcher Joey Estes suffered his third straight loss of the season coughing up some runs in the middle innings. A leadoff home run surrendered to start the fourth inning tied the game at one apiece. It was the team’s first hit since the first inning as the leadoff man reached in four of the first five innings of the game.

Round Rock snatched its first lead of the game in the fifth inning behind an RBI sacrifice fly after finding runners on the corners before the first out was recorded. The final run off Estes came in the seventh inning on an RBI double with two outs to fall behind 3-1.

Estes went seven full innings of three-run ball (two earned runs) on seven hits with a strikeout and a walk. He is now 2-3 this year including his third straight loss in three straight appearances including two starts.

Las Vegas’ offense was lackluster with runners on base before ultimately falling by a single run. The team had the leadoff man reach in six of the nine innings played with only two coming across to score.

In total, the team went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position while leaving 10 runners on base.

Right fielder Colby Thomas opened the scoring for the game with an RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning. The team wouldn’t score again until the ninth inning beginning with a leadoff home run by first baseman Logan Davidson. Not long after, second baseman Zack Gelof would plate another run on an RBI single.

Sunday, L, 6-5 F/12 innings

For the first time this season, the Aviators have been swept. It came in three straight games at home against the Express. In addition, it comes fresh off the heels of this year’s all-star break.

Despair in extra innings continued for Las Vegas as it fell to 1-7 in extra frames this season. Prior to things falling apart in the 12th inning, both teams matched each other nearly every step of the way.

In the top of the ninth, Round Rock tied the game at three apiece while facing its final strike in the ball game. The run scored on an RBI single that would be duplicated an inning later with two outs once again, this time to take a, 4-3, lead. That marked the visitors first lead of the game.

After going scoreless in the 11th inning, the Express loaded the bases with one out in the 12th inning. Not long after, the team would score two runs on a two-run single.

Starting pitcher Aaron Brooks nearly went six full innings after entering the game with a 5.82 earned run average at home this year. He then proceeded to face baserunners in each of the first four innings including a two-run homer with one out recorded in the fourth inning.

Brooks’ first 1-2-3 inning didn’t come until the fifth inning. He’d be lifted from the game in the sixth inning after allowing a two-out single and walk.

The Aviators held a 3-0 lead in this one before being outscored 6-2 en route to the loss. The team’s first run came on a wild pitch in the third inning to go up 1-0. Two more runs would score in the frame on RBI singles from shortstop Darell Hernaiz and right fielder Colby Thomas.

Las Vegas’ remaining two runs came across in the form of an RBI single from designated hitter Carlos Cortes in the 10th inning and an RBI sacrifice fly by second baseman Zack Gelof in the 12th.

Prior to the extra innings, the Aviators left the bases loaded in the eighth inning.