PCL1 Las Vegas Aviators

51s Host Final Homestand of 2010 Season

Published on August 19, 2010 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Las Vegas Aviators News Release


LAS VEGAS: The Las Vegas 51s professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL), Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, will open their final homestand of the 2010 season against the Portland Beavers, Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, on Saturday, August 21 at 7:05 p.m. at Cashman Field. The four-game series will run through Tuesday, August 24. The homestand will then conclude with a five-game series against intrastate rival, the Reno Aces, Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, from Wednesday-Sunday, August 25-29. All nine games will begin at 7:05 p.m.

The 51s, under manager Dan Rohn, are currently in third place in the Pacific Southern Division, 60-65 (.480), 8.0 games behind the first-place (Southern Division) Fresno Grizzlies (68-57, 544), Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Las Vegas' eight-game road trip will conclude in New Orleans, La., against the Zephyrs on Friday evening.

Las Vegas is averaging 4,656 fans (288,679) through 62 home dates in the 2010 season. The season-high crowd was 10,459 vs. Omaha on May 18. The 51s are 11,321 fans shy from reaching the 300,000 plateau in "home" attendance for the 28th straight season (1983-2010). The all-time attendance total now stands at 9,313,157.

Frank Caliendo Bobblehead Night, to the first 2,000 fans through the gates, will be presented in the opener of the nine-game homestand on Saturday. He performs his show five times weekly at The Monte Carlo Resort & Casino. The comedian and impressionist is best known for his work on the Fox Network television series MADtv, and has been the in-house prognosticator for Fox NFL Sunday. In 2007 and 2008, he performed his impersonations on his own show, Frank TV, which aired on TBS. On Saturday night, 51s Comic Books will also be given away to fans.

Game three of the four-game series will feature "Value Menu Monday" on August 23. The 51s and Aramark have teamed together for discounted food items on Hot Dogs, Popcorn, Peanuts, Cracker Jacks and Pretzels for just $1.00 per item.

Holly Madison Bobblehead Night (Peepshow Outfit), to the first 2,000 fans through the gates, will be featured in the series finale on Tuesday, August 24. Holly, the star in Peepshow at Planet Hollywood, is also the star of her own reality show, "Holly's World," on E! Entertainment TV. She will be "throwing out" the ceremonial first pitch at Cashman Field.

Kraft Singles Tuesday Night Tickets: Every Tuesday home game is KRAFT Singles Day at the ballpark! Fans can bring in a KRAFT Singles package wrapper to the Cashman Field Box Office, buy one ticket and get one free from KRAFT Singles! Visit kraftsingles.com for details.

Portland features two of the top 10 prospects in the Padres organization, according to Baseball America: left-handed pitchers Cory Luebke (No. 6) and Aaron Poreda (No. 10). Terry Kennedy, who was the manager of the 2004 51s, is in his first season as skipper of Portland.

Game two of the five-game series against the Reno Aces on Thursday, August 26 will feature the final Budweiser Dollar Beer Night of the season. Proper identification and wristbands are required for dollar beer night.

A spectacular post-game "Fireworks Show," presented by NV Energy-Ecos will be presented on Friday, August 27. Bob Blum, the 51s Special Assistant to the General Manager, will conduct a "book signing" in the Club Level Restaurant from 6 to 7 p.m.

Blum's new book titled "Started Talking at 11 Months...Still Talking" is a biography of his 70 years in sports broadcasting-writing. The book, available on Amazon.com, entails how Blum helped bring the legendary John Wooden to coach UCLA; Pete Rozelle to the National Football League; his association with the Oakland Raiders, San Francisco Giants and San Diego Chargers. Blum, who will turn 90 on Oct. 1, has over 60 years in baseball as a front office executive and broadcaster.

51s Jersey Night, presented by Clear, will be presented on Fan Appreciation Night on Saturday, August 28. The first 2,500 fans through the gates will receive a 51s Replica Jersey. The 51s organization will thank the fans for their support as over 50 prizes will be awarded throughout the evening.

In 2009, Las Vegas and Reno developed the Silver State Diamond Challenge and the "Silver Plate Trophy" to add to the excitement to the rivalry for the two PCL teams that represent the state of Nevada. If the season series is tied after 16 games, the Silver State Diamond Challenge winner will be determined in true Nevada style with a draw of the cards. The inaugural season series was tied at 8-8 and the two Mayors met a home plate at Aces Ballpark on October 5, 2009. Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman pulled a "7" and Reno Mayor Bob Cashell pulled a "6" and Las Vegas captured the inaugural S.S.D.C.

The second campaign of the intrastate rivalry between the Aces and 51s (members of the Pacific Conference Southern Division) features the 16-game season series. Reno leads the 2010 season series 7-games-to-4. The Silver State Diamond Challenge will be decided in the final five-game series between the two teams. The winner of the season series will receive the "Silver Plate Trophy."

Reno features one of the top 10 prospects in the Diamondbacks organization, according to Baseball America: infielder Brandon Allen (No. 4).

The 51s broadcast all games on Lotus Broadcasting on Fox Sports Radio 920 AM, which will carry live all 144 regular season games. Also, all games will be available on the 51s website (Major League Baseball Advanced Media, MLBAM) at http://www.lv51.com/. Russ Langer, the five-time Nevada Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA), is in his 11th season behind the microphone calling 51s baseball.

Following the final homestand, the 51s will conclude the 2010 season with an eight-game road trip. Las Vegas will face division rival, the Sacramento River Cats, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland A's, in a four-game series from Monday-Thursday, August 30 - September 2. The road swing will continue to the Pacific Northwest against the Portland Beavers, Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, in a four-game "Labor Day" weekend series from Friday-Monday, September 3-6.

The "Pacific Coast League Playoffs" will begin on Wednesday, September 8 with the best of five series' featuring the American Conference Northern Division Winner vs. American Southern Division and the Pacific Conference Northern Division vs. Pacific Southern Division. The two winners will meet for the PCL championship (best three-out-of five series) from September 14-19.

The PCL champion will then face the International League champion in the fifth annual "Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game" on Tuesday, September 21 at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark (13,066) in Oklahoma City, Okla., home of the PCL's RedHawks. The game will be broadcast on the Westwood One Radio Network and television is TBA.

The PCL has won three out of the four championship games played in Oklahoma City. Tucson defeated Toledo, 5-2, in the 2006 inaugural Triple-A Championship game before a crowd of 12,572; Sacramento defeated Richmond, 7-1, in the 2007 championship game before a crowd of 11,124; Sacramento defeated Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 4-1, in the 2008 championship game before a crowd of 8,213 and Durham defeated Memphis, 5-4 in 11 innings, in the 2009 championship game before a crowd of 6,777.

Tickets for the 51s final 2010 homestand can be purchased at the Cashman Field box office. The box office is open Monday-Friday (non game days) from Noon to 4:30 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased through Ticketmaster (1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com). Ticketmaster outlets are located at selected Smith's Food & Drug, Ritmo Latino and the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino.

The individual game tickets for the 72-game home season are priced at $9.00 (general admission), $10.00 (reserved), $12.00 (plaza) and $14.00 (field). The traditional $2.00 discount for Military personnel is offered on plaza, reserved and G.A. seats throughout the season except for the holiday fireworks shows that took place on July 2 and 3.

Season tickets and mini-plan packages for the 2011 season are available by calling the 51s office at (702) 798-7825.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 19, 2010


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