top of page
Writer's pictureTerrel Emerson

Aviators can’t recover on road, drop first series in over month

Updated: May 13

It has been more than a month since the last series loss for the Las Vegas Aviators but a week in Texas undid that feat.


A week of matchups against the Round Rock Express of the Texas Rangers organization caused Las Vegas to come away with just two wins during the six-game series. Despite stealing the series finale, the Aviators dropped four of the first five meetings of the series including suffering a three-game losing streak from Thursday to Saturday.


As a result, Las Vegas is now 6-12 away from home this season. Moreover, the team has slid further back in the standings and are now seven games behind the top spot in the league with an 18-21 overall record.


Needing it now more than ever, the Aviators will return home to Las Vegas Ballpark for a six-game series against El Paso Chihuahuas of the San Diego Padres organization. That series is set to begin Tuesday, May 14 from LVBP.


Tuesday, L, 6-4


Las Vegas made two costly mistakes in the seventh inning and it led to a two-run loss to Round Rock in the series opener. The team is now 0-7 in series openers this season.


A walk issued by reliever Zach Jackson coupled with a throwing error from him put the Aviators in danger with the game tied at three apiece. He’d allow another walk and deliver a wild pitch to the plate.


The danger turned into damage when catcher Tyler Soderstrom made an error from behind the plate on a pickoff attempt, allowing two runs to score. Round Rock would add an insurance run in the eighth on a solo home run with two outs.


Jackson would be saddled with the loss as a result of the seventh inning, falling to 2-2 on the season.


Las Vegas would get as close as a run after right fielder Hoy Park drove in a run on a single in the top of the eighth. With two runners on and nobody out, the club would suffer three straight flyouts.


Early in the contest, the Aviators scored runs off Express mistakes when they walked in two runs in the fifth inning to both first baseman Ryan Noda and Soderstrom to give the visitors their first lead of the game.


Center fielder Daz Cameron got Las Vegas on the board first with a solo home run in the top of the third inning. Over the last nine games, he’s averaging .516 with five doubles, a triple, two homers, 12 RBI, 10 runs scored and five walks versus just four strikeouts.


Pitcher Royber Salinas made his Triple-A debut and went four innings, giving up three runs on three hits with four strikeouts and three walks. He found himself down, 1-0, just five pitches into the game after a triple of the first pitch and an RBI double moments later.


Salinas would be lifted after back-to-back walks to start the bottom of the fifth inning. Round Rock tied the game at three on an RBI sacrifice fly scoring one of those previous baserunners who reached via walk.


Wednesday, W, 4-2


Las Vegas picked up its first win of the series on Wednesday after needing some help in the ninth inning to pull-off the come-from-behind win. The team is now a game under .500 so far this year.


Round Rock opened the ninth inning with three straight walks before second baseman Armando Alvarez plated two runs on a single to give the visitors a 4-2 lead.


The free passes weren’t unfamiliar for the Las Vegas offense after the team earned its first lead of the game on back-to-back walks in the fourth inning. Right fielder Hoy Park put the team on the scoreboard first with an RBI single earlier in the frame.


Pitcher Freddy Tarnok made his first rehab start of the season as he recovers from a hip injury. He only worked one inning and would work around a one-out single by inducing a strikeout-caught stealing double play.


Reliever Jack O’Loughlin essentially made a start beginning in the second inning and would have to avert danger early in his outing. With the bases loaded and nobody out, only one run would cross after an RBI sacrifice fly to open the game’s scoring.


O’Loughlin would soon settle in and would later retire seven straight Express batters in the middle innings on his way to five innings. Right-handed pitcher Michel Otanez got the win for his first decision of the season.


Thursday, L, 12-7


Round Rock essentially had the game won in the third inning after posting eight runs to reach double-digits.


Back-to-back doubles opened the third inning setting up three of the next four singles to drive in runs. All of this transpired before Las Vegas recorded the first out in the inning. After issuing an RBI walk, starter Brady Basso was lifted from his Triple-A debut. He was taxed for nine runs on 10 hits in 2 ⅓ innings of work with three strikeouts and a walk.


After relieving Basso, righty Tyler Baum gave up a grand slam to the very first batter he faced, finishing off the starting stat line. Basso would be given the loss.


Designated hitter Drew Lugbauer was responsible for a good portion of the Aviator offense, picking up an RBI single in the top of the first inning. That drove in shortstop Jacob Wilson, who moments earlier tallied his first Triple-A hit.


In the sixth inning, Lugbauer went yard for two runs with Wilson on base again. An inning later, Wilson drove in his first run at this level with an RBI double.


Friday, L, 8-2


Las Vegas would need wins on Saturday and Sunday to secure a series split after dropping a third game in four outings against Round Rock from Dell Diamond.


Starting pitcher Aaron Brooks had a strong start to the game and wouldn’t have issues until the fifth inning. It began with a baserunner reaching on an error followed by a single and another one that drove in a run. Another run would score on a sacrifice fly.


Prior to the fifth inning, the Express had four total baserunners reach the pads. Following a leadoff double in the sixth inning and a hit-by-pitch, Brooks would be relieved of his duties. He went six-plus innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits to go along with five strikeouts and a walk.


Brooks would be given the loss to fall to 1-6 on the season.


Much like it did a night prior, Round Rock scored a bulk of its runs in one inning highlighted by a five-run seventh in this one. All five runs scored prior to the first out being recorded in the seventh on two RBI singles, a two-run double, another hit-by-pitch and two errors.


Reliever Scott Alexander failed to record an out in his Las Vegas debut, coughing up five runs (four earned) on three hits and a walk.


The Aviators scored both of their runs in the seventh inning after loading the bases with one out. Center fielder Daz Cameron would score a run on a force out play while shortstop Jacob Wilson knocked in his second run of the year on a single right after.


Saturday, L, 4-3


Saturday’s loss to Round Rock ensures the first series loss in over a month for Las Vegas.


Three straight one-out free passes issued by left-handed reliever Francisco Perez in the bottom of the seventh inning set the stage for a game-changing collapse. With fellow reliever Vinny Nittoli on the mound and two outs recorded, the Express took their first lead of the game on a two-run single.


In the top of the eighth, the Aviators couldn’t capitalize on a leadoff double after it was followed up by a flyout and back-to-back groundouts. Issues with the leadoff man were the early troubles of the home team.


Round Rock had the leadoff man reach in the first, second and third innings but would have zero runs to show for it following precise pitching from starter J.T. Ginn, who was making his Triple-A debut.


Ginn would only be touched for one run in his six innings on the mound on four hits while tallying 10 strikeouts to two walks.


Center fielder Daz Cameron got Las Vegas on the board first with an RBI triple in the first inning. That gave the visitors their fourth lead through the first five games of this series.


Second baseman Zack Gelof played in his first game of a rehab stint and would go 1-for-5 on the night. His lone hit would be a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning.


Sunday, W, 6-3


The Aviators won a series finale for the sixth straight series to account for the team’s second victory this week on the road in Texas.


Las Vegas needed a four-run ninth inning to secure the come-from-behind victory against Round Rock. A leadoff walk coupled with a single set the table for an RBI double from center fielder Daz Cameron to tie the game at three apiece.


Two more runs would score on sacrifice flies while a fielder’s choice plus an error plated another.


The Express appeared to be headed toward more runs in the bottom half of the ninth after back-to-back hit-by-pitch at-bats with one out recorded. Reliever Dany Jimenez earned his first save of the year after packing up a pair of strikeouts to close the door.


Fellow reliever Michel Otanez picked up his second win of the year and his second win of this series.


Pitcher Hogan Harris made the start and would have a pretty swift outing with the only real trouble coming in the fourth inning when he loaded the bases with two outs. He’d induce a groundout to get out of the jam.


Harris pitched four scoreless innings on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks.


Pitcher Freddy Tarnok made his second appearance of a rehab stint but would be making his first out of the bullpen. He’d cough up a two-run single in the sixth inning and be saddled with a blown save.

Comments


bottom of page