Big Fourth Inning Lifts Aviators Past Bees on Opening Day
PCL Salt Lake Bees

Big Fourth Inning Lifts Aviators Past Bees on Opening Day

Published on March 27, 2026 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Salt Lake Bees News Release


LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Salt Lake Bees opened the 2026 campaign against the defending Pacific Coast League Champions where the Aviators used a seven run fourth inning to slide past Salt Lake despite a monstrous debut from Donovan Walton who produced the Bees only run with a solo homer in his plate appearance in a Bees uniform.

Las Vegas Aviators 12, Salt Lake Bees 1

WP: Kade Morris (1-0)

LP: Victor Mederos (0-1)

Game Summary

The Salt Lake Bees opened the 2026 campaign where they closed the book on the 2025 season at Las Vegas Ballpark against the defending PCL champion Las Vegas Aviators.

After a scoreless first inning, Las Vegas struck in the second, plating two runs with the rally beginning on a throwing error by catcher Sebastian Rivero and was followed by an RBI triple from Henry Bolte.

After being retired in order through the first two innings, the Bees responded in the top of the third. In his first at-bat in a Bees uniform, Donovan Walton launched a 445-foot solo home run to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.

The Aviators broke the game open in the fourth inning. They opened the frame with three consecutive singles and had six straight batters reach base, scoring three runs before the Bees could record an out. Colby Thomas delivered the decisive blow with a three-run homer, capping a seven-run inning as Las Vegas batted around to take a 9-1 lead.

Walton's home run proved to be the only run of the night for Salt Lake. Las Vegas added three more runs, two in the fifth and one in the seventh to secure a 12-1 victory and begin the 2026 season.

Game Notes

The Salt Lake Bees dropped their third consecutive Opening Day contest, allowing double-digit runs for the second straight season and the most since 1998, when they surrendered 15 runs to Tacoma.

After the first six batters were retired to begin the game, Salt Lake put at least one runner on base in every inning starting in the third. However, the Bees were unable to capitalize, stranding nine runners and going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

Donovan Walton was a bright spot in his Salt Lake debut, reaching base four times while going 3-for-3 with a walk. He accounted for the Bees lone run with a solo home run on the first pitch he saw in a Bees uniform. Walton's three-hit performance marked the most by a Bee on Opening Day since 2019, when Jose Briceño (4-for-5), Wilfredo Tovar (3-for-5), and Matt Thaiss (3-for-5) each turned in strong efforts.

Jose Siri added two hits in his Bees debut. After striking out in his first two at-bats, he rebounded with a single in the seventh inning and a double in the ninth.

Niko Kavadas stayed hot at Las Vegas Ballpark, going 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, joining Siri and Walton with an extra-base hit. In 11 career games at Las Vegas Ballpark, Kavadas is batting .333 (14-for-42) with a 1.239 OPS, along with five home runs, 11 RBI, three doubles, and a triple.

Victor Mederos made the Opening Day start for Salt Lake but exited early after allowing a Triple-A career-high seven runs on eight hits, with three walks and two strikeouts. He lasted just three innings--his second-shortest outing at the Triple-A level--and it marked only the sixth time in 20 Triple-A appearances that he has recorded two strikeouts or fewer.

Up Next

The Salt Lake Bees will look to even up the series and clinch its first win of the new season on Saturday night as southpaw Sam Aldegheri takes the bump for the Bees against Aviators Joey Estes with first pitch scheduled for 8:05 p.m. MST at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Check out the Salt Lake Bees Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from March 27, 2026


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