PCL Las Vegas Aviators

Bees Belt Four HRs, Snap Aviators Six-Game Home Winning Streak

Published on May 23, 2021 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Las Vegas Aviators News Release


The Aviators' refuse-to-lose mentality persisted throughout their six-game home winning streak, when they overcame a deficit - and in some cases, multiple deficits - to win each contest.

That mentality showed up yet again Saturday night against the Salt Lake Bees. Unfortunately, the end result did not.

The Aviators spotted Salt Lake an early 5-1 lead and despite several late-inning comeback attempts, they never managed to get over the hump, falling 11-5 before a crowd of 5,180 at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Third baseman Jake Gatewood paced the Bees' 14-hit attack, belting two of his team's four home runs, while starting pitcher Jake Faria and two relievers cooled off a red-hot Las Vegas lineup that had scored 28 runs in the winning the first two games of the series.

Gatewood (3-for-5, three RBI) hit Salt Lake's first and last homers, and in between left fielder Joe Adell and second baseman Kean Wong contributed solo blasts for the Bees (6-9), who picked up their first road victory of the season.

Left fielder Skye Bolt led the way for the Aviators (8-7), reaching base safely in all four plate appearances courtesy of a double, triple, solo homer and a walk. Second baseman Vimael Machín (3-for-4, two doubles, walk, RBI) and catcher Carlos Perez (2-for-4, two RBI) also recorded multiple hits for Las Vegas, which lost at home for the first time since falling 6-4 to Sacramento in the second game of the season on May 7.

Despite trailing 5-1 after three innings, the Aviators came close to producing their seventh consecutive come-from-behind home win. In the sixth inning, they closed to within 5-3 thanks to Bolt's RBI triple, followed by Perez's RBI single. After the Bees answered with three runs in the sixth inning to take an 8-3 lead, Las Vegas chipped away once more with single runs in the sixth and seventh on RBI singles by Perez and Machín.

Machín's hit followed consecutive walks to right fielder Greg Deichmann and shortstop Pete Kozma that started the seventh inning. But just when it looked like the Aviators were poised to mount yet another rally and extend their home winning streak, Salt Lake relief pitcher AJ Ramos shut it down by retiring Frank Schwindel on an infield popup and striking out Austin Allen and Jacob Wilson.

Las Vegas finished the night just 4-for-14 with runners in scoring position after combining to go 18-for-34 in those situations in the first two games of the series.

GAME NOTES: Aviators starting pitcher Brian Howard (0-1) took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks while striking out three in four innings. Relievers A.J. Puk (three runs in two-thirds of an inning), Miguel Romero (one run in two innings) and Matt Blackham (two runs in one inning) surrendered the other six runs. ... Kozma (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to eight in a row and has now hit safely in 11 of the 13 games he's played this season. ... Bolt also has hit safely in 11 of 13 games, including seven of the last eight. With his 3-for-3 effort Saturday, he raised his batting average to .386. ... Schwindel (0-for-4) had his five-game hitting streak snapped. ... Machín, who joined the Aviators this week after being optioned by the Oakland A's, is batting .421 (8-for-19 through his first six games with Las Vegas.

ON DECK: The Aviators and Bees continue their six-game series with a Sunday matinee affair at Las Vegas Ballpark. Right-hander Matt Milburn (1-0, 6.75 ERA) will try to pick up his second straight victory for Las Vegas when he opposes Salt Lake southpaw Packy Naughton (0-0, 6.75 ERA. First pitch is at 12:05 p.m.

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

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 23, 2021


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