Aviators Edge Reno to Return to Win Column
The Las Vegas Aviators returned to the win column Wednesday night with a 5-4 victory over the Reno Aces at Las Vegas Ballpark.
Las Vegas improved to 33-25 and remained second in the Pacific Coast League West. Reno dropped to 28-32.
Hernandez Secures First Win of Season
Nick Hernandez earned his first win of the season after delivering 2.0 scoreless innings in relief. The right-hander allowed one hit and struck out three while stranding an inherited runner in the fifth.
Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang started and allowed two runs on four hits over 4.2 innings. He struck out five and walked two. Ben Bowden recorded two outs in the eighth but allowed a two-run home run that tightened the game. Michael Kelly entered and secured the final five outs for his third save, striking out two.
Aviators Rally After Early Deficit
Reno took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Kristian Robinson tripled and scored on Christian Cerda’s two-run home run to center.
Las Vegas responded in the third. Colby Halter singled and later scored on a two-out RBI single by Joshua Kuroda-Grauer to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Aviators tied the game in the fourth when Joey Meneses doubled and scored on Tommy White’s RBI single. Later in the inning, Brayan Buelvas lined a ground-rule double to right-center that scored White and gave Las Vegas a 3-2 lead.
Las Vegas extended the advantage in the fifth. After Kuroda-Grauer and Bryan Lavastida reached base, Meneses drove in a run on a forceout to make it 4-2.
The Aviators added what proved to be the decisive run in the sixth. Drew Swift walked, stole second and scored on Cade Marlowe’s infield single to push the lead to 5-2.
Reno Threatens Late
Reno cut the deficit to one in the eighth when Luis Urías tripled and scored on Tim Tawa’s two-run home run. However, Kelly entered and stabilized the inning before finishing the game in the ninth.
Kuroda-Grauer finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Buelvas added two hits and an RBI. Meneses collected his 14th double and drove in his 52nd run of the season.
Up Next
The Aviators continue the series Thursday night at Las Vegas Ballpark. Right-hander Braden Nett (1-0, 0.00 ERA) is scheduled to start for Las Vegas against Reno left-hander Yu-Min Lin (3-4, 5.11 ERA).
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
