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PCL Las Vegas Aviators

Aviators Fall 10-6 to Albuquerque in Series Opener

August 20, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Las Vegas Aviators News Release


The Aviators returned home Thursday looking for their first four-game winning streak in exactly two months. Conversely, the Albuquerque Isotopes visited Las Vegas Ballpark for the first time this season looking to avoid their first three-game losing skid in nearly two months.

Score one for the visitors.

Las Vegas got booming home runs from designated hitter Khris Davis and catcher Austin Allen but couldn't overcome an early five-run deficit, eventually falling 10-6 to the Isotopes before a $2 Beer Night crowd of 6,812.

The Aviators (46-45), who took the final three games of a six-game series at Tacoma earlier this week, were attempting to win four consecutive games for the first time since June 20-24 (and just the second time all season). Things looked promising early, when Davis followed Allen's one-out single in the bottom of the second inning with a moonshot deep over the center-field wall.

The two-run blast gave Las Vegas a 2-1 lead, but Albuquerque (42-48) wasted no time bouncing back, tying the game on a double-play groundout in the third. An inning later, the Isotopes batted around against Aviators starting pitcher Miguel Romero and scored five runs. Four of those runs came courtesy of two-out hits by Albuquerque first baseman Colton Welker (RBI triple), designated hitter Greg Bird (two-run homer) and catcher Brian Serven (RBI single).

Having watched a 2-1 lead turn into a 7-2 deficit, the Aviators put on their own two-out-rally shoes in the bottom of the fifth. Shortstop Nick Allen led off the inning with a single and two outs later moved to second on a wild pitch by Isotopes starter Frank Duncan. Center fielder Skye Bolt then drew a walk, and first baseman Francisco Peña followed with an infield single that scored Allen all the way from second base.

At that point, left-handed relief pitcher Chris Rusin was called on to replace Duncan and face left-handed hitting Austin Allen. The matchup backfired, though, when Allen ambushed Rusin's first pitch and launched it onto the pool deck beyond the center-field wall for a three-run homer. The mammoth shot was Allen's team-leading 19th homer of the season, but more importantly, it trimmed Albuquerque's lead to 7-6.

However, Las Vegas would get no closer, producing just three baserunners on one hit and two walks over the final four innings. While the Aviators' bats went silent, the Isotopes tacked on some insurance with two runs in the seventh (both once again scored with two outs) and one in the ninth.

Albuquerque finished the night with 15 hits, and every player in the lineup collected at least one. The Isotopes' top three hitters - second baseman Rio Ruiz, left fielder Ryan Vilade and Welker - did most of the damage, combining to go 6-for-15 with a homer, two doubles, a triple, five runs and four RBI.

On the other hand, the Aviators mustered just six hits, with Davis (2-for-4), Austin Allen (2-for-4), Nick Allen (1-for-4) and Peña (1-for-3, walk) accounting for all of them.

GAME NOTES: Las Vegas is now 1-8 this season when trying to extend a three-game winning streak (0-2 at home; 1-6 on the road). ... Albuquerque hasn't had a three-game losing skid since June 22-25. ... In addition to taking over the team lead in home runs Thursday, Austin Allen surged past his teammates in batting average (.324, minimum 60 games) and multi-hit games (25). He also ranks third in RBI (49) and tied for second in doubles (15), and he's hit safely in 19 of his last 21 games, including the last four in a row overall and the last 10 in a row at home. However, the night wasn't all great for the veteran catcher, who was ejected in the top of the ninth inning by home-plate umpire Darius Ghani. ... Davis, who added an eighth-inning single to his second-inning homer, is now batting .348 (8-for-23) with two home runs and six RBI since joining the Aviators on August 12. ... Left fielder Buddy Reed (0-for-3, walk) had his five-game hitting streak snapped. Meanwhile, infielder/outfielder Mickey McDonald (six-game hitting streak) replaced right fielder Chad Pinder in the eighth inning but didn't have an at-bat, while outfielder Luis Barrera (five-game hitting streak) didn't play. ... Romero lasted just 3 2/3 innings, giving up six runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out four. Of the five Aviators pitchers who took the mound, only Grant Holmes (one hit in 1 1/3 innings) didn't surrender a run. In fact, the right-hander struck out all four Isotopes he faced.

ON DECK: Fresh off a sensational start in Tacoma on Sunday when he allowed just four hits in six scoreless innings, Aviators right-hander Daulton Jefferies (5-1, 4.56 ERA) is scheduled to return to the mound Friday and oppose Isotopes right hander Jose Mujica (2-7, 7.65).

First pitch is at 7:05 p.m., with the first 2,000 fans through the turnstiles receiving a free Aviators hat (presented by Green Valley Grocery).

Catch every Aviators game throughout the season on Raider Nation Radio 920-AM, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @AviatorsLV. Follow Aviators beat writer Matt Jacob on Twitter @MattRJacob.

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