The Las Vegas Aviators looked dead in the water after two innings.
Instead, they delivered one of their most resilient wins of the season.
After falling behind 5-0 early, the Aviators stormed back and scored four times in the 10th inning to defeat the Omaha Storm Chasers 9-6 at Werner Park. The victory improved Las Vegas to 39-27 and, coupled with Sacramento’s third straight loss, moved the Aviators into a tie for first place in the Pacific Coast League West.
Omaha Lands the First Punch
Omaha wasted little time taking control.
Matthew Lugo’s two-run single highlighted a three-run first inning before the Storm Chasers added two more runs in the second. Abraham Toro launched a two-run homer and John Rave added a solo shot as Omaha built a 5-0 lead through two innings.
Las Vegas overcame the rough start despite opener Wei-En Lin surrendering five runs, four earned, across the first two frames. Nick Hernandez settled things down with 3 1/3 innings of relief before James Gonzalez, Geoff Hartlieb and Michael Kelly combined to finish the game.
Chipping Away
The Aviators finally got on the board in the third when Bryan Lavastida scored on Darell Hernaiz’s RBI groundout.
Las Vegas continued to chip away in the fifth. Lavastida doubled and later scored on Joshua Kuroda-Grauer’s RBI single before Hernaiz followed with an RBI double. Joey Meneses then drove home another run with a groundout, trimming the deficit to 5-4.
Lavastida sparked the offense throughout the night, finishing 3-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Kuroda-Grauer and Brett Harris each collected two hits, while Hernaiz scored twice and drove in two runs.
Marlowe Ignites the Comeback
The tying run finally crossed in the eighth.
Cade Marlowe singled, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Harris’ RBI single to center, evening the game at 5-5 and setting the stage for extra innings.
The Aviators nearly missed their opportunity in the ninth, but Hartlieb worked around a leadoff single by Brett Squires and Lavastida erased the potential winning run with a throw to second base to end the inning.
Four Runs, Four Hits, First Place
With the automatic runner aboard in the 10th, Las Vegas delivered its biggest offensive inning of the night.
Michael Stefanic broke the tie with an RBI single before Brian Serven drew a bases-loaded walk to force home another run. Lavastida then lined a two-run single to center, capping a four-run inning and extending the lead to 9-5.
Hartlieb earned his third victory after tossing three scoreless innings and allowing three hits. Kelly surrendered the automatic runner in the bottom of the 10th but closed the door to secure his sixth save.
The win, combined with Sacramento’s loss, left both clubs at 39-27 atop the Pacific Coast League West. Las Vegas has won seven of its last 10 games and will look to secure the series victory in Sunday’s finale.
Up Next
The Aviators conclude their six-game series against Omaha on Sunday at Werner Park. The Storm Chasers are expected to start left-hander Ryan Ramsey (4-4, 4.70 ERA), while Las Vegas has not announced a starter.
Related stories
Welcome to Dice City Sports — where we provide premium, exclusive, up-to-date news and analysis surrounding the Las Vegas sports scene. Follow along on social media, and check back for new articles daily!
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.
