The Las Vegas Aviators came home with hot bats after splitting its series against the Reno Aces. The Aviators are 2-0 in their home series against the El Paso Chihuahuas.
The Aviators blew the Chihuahuas away on Tuesday with a 20-2 victory. The team scored eight runs in the first inning, four in the fourth, two in the sixth and six in the eighth. Colby Thomas led Las Vegas with four hits, and Willie MacIver and Cooper Bowman each had three. Designated hitter Carlos Cortes finished the night with a three-run homer in the eighth inning.
El Paso earned two runs off of a solo home run in the fifth and an RBI single in the sixth.
Overall, the Aviators had 17 hits and 16 RBIs to take the victory. Jack Perkins picked up the win on the mound after pitching 5.2 innings and striking out seven batters.
On Wednesday, the teams had a much closer game. The Chihuahuas had MLB pitcher Yu Darvish, who is in major league rehab, on the mound. El Paso had a strong offense, with nine hits compared to the Aviators’ six, but Las Vegas secured the 6-4 win.
Thomas started the game with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first. With the bases loaded in the sixth, MacIver was walked. Alejo Lopez then hit a triple to score three runners.
Drew Avans led the team with two hits. Carlos Duran earned the win on the mound after pitching 2.2 innings, striking out four batters and only allowing one hit.
El Paso had a comeback in the seventh inning after Oscar Gonzalez hit a two-run homer. An RBI single scored two batters in the ninth inning but wasn’t enough to tie or gain a lead.
