Kavadas Homers Twice for Second Straight Night as Bees Top Aviators
PCL Salt Lake Bees

Kavadas Homers Twice for Second Straight Night as Bees Top Aviators

Published on September 19, 2025 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Salt Lake Bees News Release


LAS VEGAS - The Salt Lake Bees used a five-run seventh inning to help boost them to an 8-4 win on Thursday night as Niko Kavadas had his second consecutive two-homer game to help claim the series lead at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Salt Lake Bees 8, Las Vegas Aviators 4

WP: Brett Kerry (8 - 9)

LP: Jared Shuster (0 - 2)

Game Summary

Salt Lake had a chance to take an early lead right out of the gate with Nelson Rada and Nolan Schanuel opening the game with back-to-back singles before a one-out walk to Chad Stevens loaded the bases. The Bees were unable to get on the board as Aviators starter Kade Morris induced a line drive double play to end the inning unscathed.

Las Vegas struck first when Nick Martini doubled to open the bottom of the first and scored on a sacrifice fly from Cooper Bowman. Brett Kerry went on to face the minimum in each of the next two innings before the Aviators doubled their advantage in the fourth inning on a solo shot by Bryan Lavastida, giving Las Vegas a 2-0 lead.

The Bees broke through in the sixth with their first run of the game when Niko Kavadas drilled a 3-1 pitch over the wall in right-center to cut the deficit to 2-1. However, the Aviators answered quickly in their half of the inning with a pair of runs, stringing together three hits including a run-scoring double by Cooper Bowman to push their lead to 4-1.

Salt Lake turned the tide in the seventh when Brandon Drury singled and two walks loaded the bases before Rada drew another free pass to force in a run. That set the stage for Matthew Lugo, who entered as a pinch hitter and delivered a bases clearing double down the left-field line giving Salt Lake its first lead of the night. Lugo scored moments later on a wild pitch, completing a five-run outburst that vaulted the Bees ahead 6-4.

In the ninth, Salt Lake added insurance as Kavadas continued his scorching hot stretch with his second home run of the game and fourth of the series, to increase the advantage to 8-4.

The Salt Lake bullpen held Las Vegas without a run or a hit in the final two innings between Samy Natera Jr. and Jose Quijada with each of them recording a pair of strikeouts to claim the game three win.

Game Notes

Salt Lake won its second straight game to take a 2-1 lead in the series moving to 9-64 when trailing after six innings.

The Salt Lake bullpen posted its 36th scoreless appearance this season, tied for the second most in the PCL with Tacoma while trailing only Sacramento with 38.

Niko Kavadas stayed red hot with his second straight two-homer game, driving in three runs as all four of his hits in the series have left the yard. He became just the sixth player in the Pacific Coast League this season to homer twice in back-to-back games and only the third Salt Lake player in the Bees era (2006-present) to accomplish the feat, joining Keston Hiura (2024) and Michael Hermosillo (2019). Kavadas' two homers gave him 27 on the season, a new professional career-high that surpasses his previous mark of 26 set in 2022 across three levels (Salem A-, Greenville A+, Portland AA). Kavadas now ranks second in the PCL behind Ryan Ward of Oklahoma City (34) and is tied for fourth among all Triple-A hitters.

Nelson Rada went 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, extending his hitting streak to 12 games and his on-base streak to 23. The 23-game stretch matches Carter Kieboom (Aug. 6-Sept. 6) for the longest by a Bee this season. Rada has served as Salt Lake's leadoff hitter in all 39 of his games since debuting on August 3 and leads all Triple-A leadoff hitters with 50 hits in that span. The next closest is Oklahoma City's Esteury Ruiz with 45.

Matthew Lugo made just his second pinch-hit appearance of the season--his first since drawing a walk on July 23--and came through with a three-run double down the left-field line. Lugo extended his team lead in doubles to 27, setting a new professional career-high and surpassing his previous mark of 26 set in 2022 across two levels (High-A Greenville, Double-A Portland). Salt Lake now has nine pinch hit knocks on the year, tied with Round Rock for the most in the league. The Bees pinch hitters are batting .321 with a league-best 10 RBIs in those situations.

Scott Kingery went 1-for-5 with his fourth triple of the year, one shy of the team lead held by Chad Stevens and Matthew Lugo. Kingery gave the Bees their 46th triple of the season as a team, trailing only Albuquerque for the league lead of 61.

Brandon Drury had a 1-for-3 night at the plate extending his hit streak to seven games and on-base streak to 12. During Drury's hit streak that began on September 3, he is batting .391 (9x23) with eight RBI and five runs scored with one home run and a triple to go along with a 1.071 OPS.

Brett Kerry earned his eighth win of the year on the mound, tying Dakota Hudson for the team-high. Kerry went seven innings allowing four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and no walks marking his free walk-free start since August 14 in Sugar Land and fourth overall on the year.

Up Next

Salt Lake and Las Vegas will face off for game four on Friday night as Walbert Urena makes his first career Triple-A start against Blake Beers (0-2, 7.23) at Las Vegas Ballpark with first pitch slated for 8:05 p.m. MST.

Check out the Salt Lake Bees Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 19, 2025


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