Wildly offensive series sees Aviators take final three games for win

Las Vegas recorded three straight wins to take a scheduled six-game series with Albuquerque, 4-2.

There were home runs galore in the series with the Aviators racking up a whopping 33 runs over the final two games of the series highlighted by a 21-run showing on Sunday afternoon.

In total, there were 148 combined hits by the two teams in the series with 117 runs to boot.

After picking up another series win, Las Vegas will now prepare to a six-game road series against the Salt Lake Bees of the Los Angeles Angels organization. That series is set to begin Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Tuesday, L, 15-11

Another bad start from pitcher Brandon Bielak led to a sixth straight home loss for Las Vegas. Moreover, the team coughed up 17 hits which tied its season-high for knocks allowed.

Bielak’s day began with a hit-by-pitch, RBI single, double, a second RBI single, a reach-on-error and a two-run single before logging his first out. Ultimately, 10 came to the plate as the visitors solidified a 5-0 lead.

Over his last two starts, Bielak has given up nine runs (eight earned runs) with four extra-base hits given up. He’s given up at least one run in every inning pitched.

Albuquerque would add another run on a leadoff home run in the second and another in the third on an RBI single following a leadoff triple.

Las Vegas pitching didn’t record its first 1-2-3 inning until the fourth frame. The first walk of the game came in the fifth inning and would come across to score on a fielder’s choice.

More power came near the end of the game when the Isotopes pushed the lead to 9-4 on a solo homer from third baseman Elehuris Montero in the seventh inning. He went 4-for-5 with three singles, a home run, two RBI, three runs scored and a strikeout.

Things really got bad in the eighth inning when the Aviators allowed two separate two-run home runs in a three-batter span. In total, the visitors hit five home runs with four coming in the seventh or later.

Las Vegas’ offense had just two hits before the sixth inning. Catcher Carlos Perez tallied the team’s first hit on his 15th homer of the year in the third inning.

Playing his second career-game at center fielder, Ryan Noda hit a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth inning. He later added an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth while teammate Jordan Diaz also recorded two RBI singles of his own.

Left fielder Colby Thomas had a day going 4-for-4 with two doubles, two homers, four RBI, a run scored and a walk. Both of his dingers came in the eighth which was the solo while the three-run long ball came as part of a five-run ninth for Las Vegas.

Wednesday, W, 7-6

Looking to avoid a seventh straight home loss, the Aviators were bailed out by a walk-off hit from center fielder Hoy Park. That game-winning swing came on the backend of three straight two-out hits in the home half of the ninth inning.

Third baseman Nick Allen entered the game in the eighth inning as a defensive replacement for the rehabbing Darell Hernaiz and would have one of the biggest at-bats of the game in his lone opportunity. He drove in two runs on a single in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at six apiece.

Second baseman Cooper Bowman made his Triple-A debut and would also plate two runs for his first hit at the level via a double. He came over to the organization in 2022 as part of a trade with the New York Yankees.

The game opened with back-to-back first inning home runs from designated hitter Armando Alvarez and the aforementioned Hernaiz.

Las Vegas had to overcome eight strikeouts, all of which came after the first four innings of the game.

Reigning PCL Player of the Week Joe Boyle was on the mound to start this one and would give up his first run in the game’s opening inning. After being netted a 2-1 lead, he’d yield a leadoff triple that would eventually score on a wild pitch.

Not long after, Boyle would settle in. He struck out the side in the third and fifth innings on his way to nine total strikeouts. While leaving with the no-decision, he is still 0-3 this year with a now 6.61 earned run average.

Pitchers Francisco Perez and Pedro Santos combined to allow four runs in three relief innings. Right-hander Grant Holman got the win to round out the quartet of pitchers used by manager Fran Riordan and company.

Thursday, L, 9-8

A trio of a Triple-A debut on the mound, a Country Night promotion and the team’s sixth sellout of the season  couldn’t lift Las Vegas over Albuquerque.

In this losing effort, the Aviators just couldn’t keep the lid on in a tightly-played game. A leadoff double for the Isotopes in the seventh inning served as the team’s first baserunner since the fourth. That run would cut the home team’s lead to 5-4.

In the bottom half of the frame, shortstop NIck Allen hit a solo home run with one out to push it back to two runs. That was also the team’s fourth homer of the night.

From there, Albuquerque would begin its comeback bid again. A solo blast in the eighth inning made it a one-run game again before a first pitch grand slam with two outs recorded in the frame to flip the game on its ear.

Las Vegas would add two more runs in the eighth inning on an RBI sacrifice fly and wild pitch. However, the inning would end after a line-out double play thwarted the team’s momentum.

Pitcher Gunnar Hoglund made his Triple-A debut after going 9-4 with Midland this season. Last year, he pitched for all lower divisions within the organization including Stockton, Lansing and Midland.

It started fast for the 24-year old as he struck out back-to-back guys to close a 1-2-3 first inning in his debut. By the fifth inning, he’d tally his third 1-2-3 inning on his way to four in six tries.

Hoglund left the game after retiring nine straight batters on his way out and 14 of his last 15 faced. He became the ninth Aviator pitcher this season to go at least six innings and the third different one to do it in the last 11 days.

His final stat line read as six innings pitched with three runs allowed on five hits with seven strikeouts and a walk. Las Vegas provided some needed relief for Hoglund in the form of early offense.

Third baseman Armando Alvarez went yard for a second straight game after driving in two in the first inning. Two innings later, teammates Jordan Diaz and Ryan Noda would go back-to-back and force a pitching change.

Friday, W, 9-3

Las Vegas pulled away late to take its second win of a scheduled six with Albuquerque.

Starting pitcher Hogan Harris provided a boost from the bump with a strong strikeout performance. He struck out the side in the second inning for a two-inning total of five Ks before tallying the sixth in the third.

Harris allowed his first base runner to reach in the fourth on a leadoff walk. That would be followed by back-to-back one-out walks to load the bases. Two runs would score on a single to give the Isotopes a 2-0 lead.

It would appear Harris had stumbled into more trouble in the fifth with the bases loaded and one out. He’d induce the double play to avert danger and get out of the inning.

In his five-plus inning outing, Harris gave up two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts and five walks.

Designated hitter Jordan Diaz began on the comeback trail with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fourth on the first pitch of the frame. Later the team would tie the game on a force out.

The Aviators would be given their first lead of the game on a two-run blast in the seventh inning by catcher Carlos Perez. He now has 16 homers on the season. Diaz would add to the lead an inning later with an RBI double.

After Albuquerque had trimmed the deficit back to two runs in the top of the eighth, Las Vegas would use the bottom half to put the game out of reach.

The bottom of the eighth opened up with a walk, single, walk and RBI walk to run the lead back to three for the home team.

Left fielder Armando Alvarez plated two more runs on a two-run double followed by an RBI single from third baseman Brett Harris.

Saturday, W, 12-11

A slugfest that ended with a home team walk-off gave Las Vegas its second straight win and its third of the series against Albuquerque.

Designated hitter Jordan Diaz maintained his hot streak at the plate with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first to flip a 1-0 loss into a 3-1 lead. He now has home runs in three straight games.

Diaz was also responsible for the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 11th. In the outing, he went 2-for-6 with a double, home run, four RBI, a run scored and three strikeouts.

Teammate Carlos Perez also got in on the action with a two-run blast in the bottom of the fifth inning as part of the Aviators breaking this game open, taking an 8-1 lead in the process.

Catcher Yohel Pozo also went yard in the win with a leadoff shot in the bottom of the eighth.

Pitcher J.T. Ginn started and had a strong outing before being lifted. He faced early trouble with an RBI single with two outs in the top of the first. By the third inning, he had settled in by striking out the side in the third for a total of six Ks to that point.

Ginn ultimately sat down 11 straight Albuquerque batters at one point which featured three straight 1-2-3- innings. He’d be removed from the mound after opening the seventh inning with back-to-back singles and an RBI groundout.

When pulled, Ginn had worked 6.1 innings, with six runs allowed on nine hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

Once removed, the Las Vegas bullpen got bullied. Two batters after taking Ginn out, the Isotopes launched a game-changing grand slam to make it 8-7 in favor of the home team.

Two innings later, Albuquerque would tie the game at nine apiece on a two-run dinger. In extra innings, the visitors would take their first lead of the game on an error after an error loaded the bases with nobody out.

The Isotopes would briefly take the lead in the top of the 11th before the walk-off heroics in the bottom half.

Pitcher Jack Cushing would win the war of attrition and be giving the victory.

Sunday, W, 21-5

Blowout may be an understatement as the Aviators put the biggest punctuation they could on their six-game home series with the Isotopes. Over the final two games of the series, Las Vegas racked up 33 total runs as part of a three-game win streak.

The game was broken up via a 10-run third inning by the home team. It began with a double, walk and single to load the bases. Runs would score on two two-run singles and two more on an RBI sacrifice fly and error.

With that 6-0 and the team batting around, Albuquerque was forced to make a pitching change. It wouldn’t change much as Las Vegas would promptly pump out another walk, RBI single, RBI double and two-run single for a 10-0 lead.

Through the first two innings, the Isotopes had faced the minimum.

In this high-scoring game, the Aviators were lifted by its home run prowess. The team produced back-to-back-to-back blasts with first baseman Ryan Noda, designated hitter Jordan Diaz and left fielder Colby Thomas in the sixth inning. By then, it was 14-3 in favor of the home team.

Diaz has now homered in four straight games.

Thomas wasn’t done yet as he led off the bottom of the eighth with an inside-the-park home run. In the same inning, second baseman Max Muncy would do damage with a grand slam. He’d go 5-for-5 with a single, double, three homers, 8 RBI and five runs scored.

Starting pitcher Brady Basso opened the game with 4 ⅓ innings of no-hit ball with 11 straight retired at one point. In the top of the fifth, he ran into his first bit of a danger behind consecutive singles and an RBI double. He’d give up additional runs on a wild pitch and error.

Basso (3-2) got the win after giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits in five innings of work with seven strikeouts to just one walk.