Bees Explode for Season-High 14 Hits, Take Game One in Las Vegas 8-5
PCL Salt Lake Bees

Bees Explode for Season-High 14 Hits, Take Game One in Las Vegas 8-5

Published on April 22, 2026 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Salt Lake Bees News Release


LAS VEGAS, NV. - The Salt Lake Bees broke through against the Las Vegas Aviators, snapping an 0-3 start to the season-series with an 8-5 win in the series opener.

Salt Lake 8, Las Vegas 5 WP: Brett Kerry (1-0)

LP: Gage Jump (0-1)

SV: Joey Lucchesi (1) Key Performers Denzer Guzman: 3-5, 2 RBI, R Sebastian Rivero: 3-5, RBI, R Christian Moore: 2-3, HR, 3B, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 RBI

Game Summary In the first of six games at Las Vegas Ballpark, both the Bees and Aviators starters worked scoreless first inning frames. The home squad worked around two strikeouts in the second inning, scoring a pair of runs for the game's first score to take a 2-0 lead.

Salt Lake did not wait around in the third, jumping on Aviators lefty Gage Jump for three runs, highlighted by a two run single from Denzer Guzman and an RBI knock from Trey Mancini.

Las Vegas tied it up in the bottom of the third after Brett Harris singled, advanced on a groundout, and later scored on a Joey Meneses pop up single that fell in the infield.

The Bees answered right back with their second consecutive three run frame. Nick Madrigal became the fourth straight lead off batter to reach for Salt Lake with a double to start the inning and later scored on a wild pitch. Chris Taylor reached base on a hit by pitch, setting up a two-run blast from Christian Moore to put the Bees up by three.

Scoring went quiet for a stretch, with Brett Kerry providing a shutdown inning in his final frame of work to keep momentum steady on the mound. The Bees eventually broke through in the sixth, starting with Moore lining a triple to set the table, followed by a Nelson Rada RBI single to bring him home. The Aviators answered in the same inning when Junior Pérez connected for a solo home run, snapping an 0-for-40 skid at the plate.

The Aviators cut the lead down to two in the eighth as Cade Marlowe doubled to right but the Bees punched back adding an insurance run in the ninth on Sebastian Rivero's second RBI

single of the night. Joey Lucchesi finished things off working a second inning of relief to close out the Salt Lake win.

Game Notes

- Salt Lake earned its first victory at Las Vegas Ballpark in 2026, improving to 1-3 in Las Vegas while moving to 3-2 in series openers to start the season.

- The Bees erupted for eight runs on a season-high 14 hits, marking their highest run total against the Aviators since the season finale on Sept. 21, 2025, and their highest hit total in the matchup since Sept. 15, 2025 when they recorded 15.

- After being held without a stolen base in the previous series against Las Vegas, Salt Lake tied a season-high with three swipes on Tuesday night, matching its mark from Apr. 12 at Reno. Denzer Guzman and Trey Mancini each collected their first stolen bases of the year, while Nelson Rada added his team-leading fourth of the season.

- Jeimer Candelario went 1-for-5 hitting safely in back-to-back games, doing so in just three appearances since joining the Bees. He also recorded the highest exit velocity of the night, lacing a 112.6 MPH single to left field in the second inning.

- Denzer Guzman delivered a season-high three-hit performance while driving in a pair of runs, marking his second game this season with multiple hits and multiple RBI. He also extended his hitting streak to nine games, which is tied for the third-longest active streak in the Pacific Coast League. Over that stretch, Guzman has been swinging a hot bat, hitting .389 (14-for-36) and collecting an RBI in four of his last five contests.

- Christian Moore continued to pace the Minor Leagues in walks, drawing three more on the night for his fifth game this season with at least three free passes, bringing his season total to 27 while reaching base in 16 of his last 17 games. At the plate, Moore turned in a productive 2-for-3 performance that included his second home run of the year along with his second triple of the season. He also crossed the plate a season-high three times in Tuesday's win, matching a mark he has only reached once previously at the Triple-A level, back on May 22, 2025 against Omaha.

- In Brady Choban's 2026 season debut, he delivered a scoreless inning out of the bullpen while striking out two, pushing his career total to 10 strikeouts at the Triple-A level. Over his last 10 Triple-A appearances dating back to Aug. 3, 2025, Choban has posted a 2.19 ERA across 12.1 innings pitched and allowing runs in just two of those outings.

- Sebastián Rivero broke out of an 0-for-12 slump with a big night at the plate, collecting his second three-hit performance of the season. It also marked his fourth three-hit game across two seasons as a Bee while adding an RBi and a run scored.

- Chris Taylor finished with two hits, marking the third time in his last four games he's recorded a multi-hit performance. He also matched a season-best with two runs scored, first set in his Salt Lake debut on Apr. 1 against Sacramento, while adding his fourth double of the season. Since joining the Bees on Apr. 1, Taylor is batting .317 with seven runs scored, six RBI, and an .832 OPS.

- Brett Kerry earned his first win of the 2026 season on the mound in his third start and sixth overall appearance, working five innings while allowing three runs on nine hits with five strikeouts and two walks. The right-hander improved to 3-2 in his career against Las Vegas, picking up his first victory over the Aviators since Sept. 18, 2025. Kerry has also gone at least five innings in all five of his starts against Las Vegas dating back to the 2024 season.

Up Next Salt Lake and Las Vegas will square off in game two of the series on Wednesday night at Las Vegas Ballpark with first pitch slated for 8:05 p.m. MDT.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 22, 2026


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