The Las Vegas Aviators hosted the Salt Lake Bees for game three of the six-game series at Las Vegas Ballpark. The Aviators beat the Bees 19-3 and 8-7 in the first two games. They added a third win on Thursday night with an 8-1 victory.
Jack Perkins started on the mound for the Aviators. Perkins entered the game with a 3.55 ERA and a 9-7 career MiLB record. Touki Toussaint was the first pitcher for the Bees, bringing a 4.60 ERA and 38-53 career MiLB record.
Gio Urshela doubled in the first inning, and Carlos Cortes grounded out to move him to third base. Colby Thomas came in clutch and homered on two outs. The Aviators took a 2-0 lead.
Las Vegas went into the second inning with hot bats. Jhonny Pereda and Shane McGuire both singled. Pereda scored on an RBI flyout by Nick Martini. Urshela hit a bomb to center field for his first home run of the season. The Aviators extended their lead to 5-0.
Perkins continued to dominate on the mound. He caused a groundout and struck out two batters in the top of the third. Offensively for the Aviators, Alejo Lopez singled and stole second base. Pereda grounded out, moving Lopez to third base. Lopez was left on base, making it the first inning of the game without a run scored.
The Aviators were picky in the bottom of the fourth with two outs. Cortes walked, Thomas was hit by a pitch and Logan Davidson walked to fill the bases. Darell Hernaiz, one of two batters without a hit at this point in the game, was up to bat and struck out, leaving the bases loaded.
Perkins struck out two batters in the top of the fifth to put him at nine total. Andrew Vazquez replaced Toussaint on the mound for the Bees. The Aviators had no problem making contact off of him. Lopez singled, McGuire reached on a fielding error, and Martini hit an RBI triple. Cortes doubled to score two more runs. Las Vegas led 8-0.
The Bees recorded their first hits of the game in the top of the seventh inning. Niko Kavadas tripled, and Carter Kieboom doubled. The Aviators made a pitching change, replacing Perkins with Shohei Tomioka. Perkins threw 6.1 innings, struck out 12, walked two, allowed two hits and one run. The Bees got on the board, 8-1. The Aviators didn’t have success hitting off of the new pitcher, Jack Dashwood, in the bottom of the inning.
Brady Basso retired Tomioka on the mound for Las Vegas in the eighth inning. Carson Fulmer took over the mound for the Bees. Tanner Dodson finished the game pitching for the Aviators.
Perkins secured the win on the mound. He finished the game with a 2-2 record and a 3.23 ERA.
