The Las Vegas Aviators started its last series of June at home against the Albuquerque Isotopes on Tuesday, June 24. This game officially started the second half of the 150-game regular season. The Isotopes held a major lead throughout the game, and the Aviators fell short of a comeback in the eighth inning.
Aaron Brooks started on the mound for the Aviators. Adael Amador hit a single to get the Isotopes on base. Sean Bouchard homered to left center, scoring two runs for Albuquerque. With two outs, Keston Hiura homered to left field. Austin Nola hit an RBI single, putting the Isotopes ahead 4-0 to end the inning. Tanner Gordon was the starting pitcher for the Isotopes.
Brooks flipped the switch in the second inning. He caused two groundouts and struck out one. Colby Thomas hit a line drive to center and cranked up his speed to make it a triple. Carlos Cortes hit an RBI single to get the Aviators on the board, 4-1.
The Isotopes took advantage of two pitching challenges to start the third. Bouchard earned a walk, and Sterlin Thompson hit an RBI triple. Zac Veen hit a sacrifice fly to score Thompson and end the inning up 6-1.
Albuquerque switched it up on the mound in the middle of the fourth inning. Connor Van Scoyoc replaced Gordon. Van Scoyoc walked two batters. Darell Hernaiz singled up the center to score Thomas, putting the Aviators at 6-2.
Carlos Duran took over the mound for Las Vegas in the top of the fifth inning. He threw a quick three up and three down with one strikeout. The same sequence happened to the Aviator’s offense.
Tanner Dodson replaced Duran on the mound for the Aviators. After walking two batters, Austin Nola hit an RBI double. The Isotopes gained an 8-2 lead. With no outs, Gustavo Rodriguez swapped with Dodson on the mound to finish the inning. Bouchard singled up the middle to score two runners, ending the inning 10-2. The Isotopes put Jefry Yan on the mound. Thomas was the only batter to get on base with a single to center.
Justin Sterner took over the mound to start the seventh inning. Thomas saw four straight hits come his way to right field: Veen singled, Nola flew out, Drew Romo doubled and Aaron Schunk flew out. Albuquerque took an 11-2 lead. Brett Harris doubled, and Daniel Susac hit an RBI single. The Aviators added to the scoreboard, 11-3.
A switch on the mound was made again by the Aviators. Elvis Alvarado threw a fly out and pop out. Alejo Lopez picked up a ball that bounced off the back wall and threw out Thompson at second base to end the inning. The Isotopes put Antoine Kelly on the mound, and Las Vegas came out with hot bats in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, Hernaiz, Harris and Susac singled, and Lopez doubled. With the score at 11-6, Dugan Darnell took over the mound and threw a strikeout.
Alvarado made it a quick top of the ninth. He caused two flyouts, walked one and caused a groundout. On offense, Nick Martini started the inning with a single. A groundout, flyout and strikeout ended the game. The Isotopes won 11-6.
