PCL1 Las Vegas Aviators

Chihuahuas Blast 5 HRs, Outslug Aviators 9-8

Published on April 26, 2019 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Las Vegas Aviators News Release


The Las Vegas Aviators and El Paso Chihuahuas entered their five-game series at Las Vegas Ballpark as the top two hitting teams in the Pacific Coast League. After two games, it's apparent that neither team's offense plans on slowing down anytime soon.

On a night when two light standards in left field went dark for much of the game, the Aviators and Chihuahuas provided more than enough supplementary power Thursday, combining for eight home runs in a wild back-and-forth battle that saw El Paso prevail 9-8 before a crowd of 9,851 - the ninth consecutive sellout in as many games this season at Las Vegas Ballpark.

For the second night in a row, Chihuahuas slugger Jacob Scavuzzo stole the show, hitting a pair of home runs, the second of which broke an 8-8 tie in the ninth inning to hand the Aviators (15-6) consecutive defeats for the first time in 2019. El Paso (13-7) also got home runs from Luis Urias, Alex Dickerson and Michael Gettys, while Las Vegas countered with big flies from Sheldon Neuse, Franklin Barreto and Mark Payton, with all three shots coming in a four-batter span in the second inning.

Through two games, the teams have combined for 32 runs, including 13 home runs.

As was the case in the series opener, the Chihuahuas raced out to an early lead Thursday, this time plating four runs in the first two innings against Las Vegas southpaw starter Tyler Alexander. After Urias, the second batter of the game, hammered Alexander's seventh pitch over the left-field wall, El Paso scored three times in the second courtesy of Dickerson's solo blast and a two-run double by Gettys.

But the Aviators swiftly erased the deficit in the bottom half of the inning when they batted around against El Paso starter Logan Allen, with Neuse (2-run shot), Barreto (solo) and Payton (solo) all crushing home runs over the right-center field fence, with the latter two landing on the pool deck.

The 4-4 tie would be short-lived, however, as Scavuzzo belted a two-out solo shot over the left-field wall in the third. Again, though, Las Vegas battled back, scoring twice in the fifth to take a 6-5 lead, its first of the series. And again it was Neuse (3-for-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI) at the center of the action. After Joseph Corban's leadoff double, a Seth Brown walk and a fielder's choice, Neuse lined a first-pitch RBI single into right field. Barreto followed with a slow roller back to the pitcher, allowing Brown to race home from third for the go-ahead run.

This time, though, it was the Chihuahuas' turn to rally - and they did so quickly, taking an 8-6 lead in the sixth after Gettys hit a one-out, three-run homer off Las Vegas reliever Wei-Chung Wang. Like a back-and-forth boxing match, Payton (3-for-4, 3 RBI) landed the counterpunch in the seventh, looping a two-run, game-tying single into left that scored Neuse and Barreto, both of whom walked with two outs.

Unfortunately for Las Vegas, the knockout blow would come in the ninth from none other than Scavuzzo, who deposited a one-out solo shot off reliever Brian Schlitter (2-1). The blast was the third of the night that splashed on the pool deck, only this one sunk the Aviators.

NOTES: Tyler Higgins (1-0) pitched two perfect innings of relief to get the win for El Paso ... Aviators second baseman Jorge Matteo legged out an infield single in the second inning, extending his hitting streak to 13 games. It's the Aviators' longest hitting streak this season. ... Neuese has hit safely in eight of his last nine, while Brown has done so in 14 of his last 17. ... Nine of Scavuzzo's 12 hits this season have been for extra bases (8 HRs, 1 triple). ... Game 3 of the series is set for 7:05 p.m. Friday, when the Aviators' Daniel Mengden (3-0, 3.00 ERA) looks to keep his perfect record intact against fellow right-hander Cal Quantrill (3-1, 4.87) on Fireworks Night. The game is sold out.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 26, 2019


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