The Las Vegas Aviators answered Tuesday’s pitching collapse with a one-hit performance Wednesday night.
Las Vegas held El Paso to one hit and pulled away for a 5-1 victory at Las Vegas Ballpark. The Aviators improved to 58-38 and evened the six-game series at one game apiece.
Drew Swift drove in three runs, while James Gonzalez delivered 3 2/3 hitless innings in relief.
Swift turns the game
El Paso scored first against Braden Nett in the opening inning.
Bryce Johnson walked, stole second and later scored on Marcos Castañon’s two-out single. Nett avoided further damage, but six walks forced him from the game after three innings.
Las Vegas answered in the third.
Brayan Buelvas opened the inning with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Swift then singled him home to tie the game.
Darell Hernaiz was hit by a pitch before Joey Meneses grounded a two-out single into left field. Swift scored, giving the Aviators a 2-1 lead.
Swift struck again in the fourth.
Jared Dickey and Buelvas singled before Swift doubled to center with two outs. Both runners scored, extending the lead to 4-1.
Swift finished 2-for-3 with a double, walk, run and three RBIs. Buelvas went 2-for-3 with a double, walk and two runs.
Gonzalez settles the pitching staff
Nett allowed one run on one hit across three innings. He struck out three but walked six and threw 75 pitches.
James Gonzalez took over after Nett walked Nick Pratto to begin the fourth. Gonzalez stranded the inherited runner, then kept El Paso hitless through the seventh. Jack Winkler also helped preserve the lead with a diving catch while charging in from left field during the seventh inning.
The right-hander allowed two walks and struck out four across 3 2/3 innings. He earned the victory and improved to 3-1.
Gustavo Rodriguez inherited two runners in the seventh and retired Bryce Johnson on a lineout. He then worked around two walks in the eighth to preserve the lead.
Ben Bowden needed eight pitches to complete a perfect ninth.
Together, Gonzalez, Rodriguez and Bowden gave Las Vegas six hitless innings.
El Paso wastes its chances
The Chihuahuas drew 10 walks but rarely converted them into runs.
El Paso finished 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine. Las Vegas pitchers also struck out nine.
Meanwhile, the Aviators added their final run in the sixth. Chad Wallach walked, moved to third on Dickey’s single and scored when Ty Adcock balked.
Las Vegas collected nine hits and went 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Dickey added two hits, while Meneses reached twice and drove in one run.
The performance offered a sharp response after El Paso scored 11 runs in the series opener. This time, the Aviators’ pitching staff allowed only one.
Up next
The Aviators and Chihuahuas continue the series Thursday at 7:05 p.m. PDT at Las Vegas Ballpark.
Right-hander Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang (2-4, 7.76 ERA) is scheduled to start for Las Vegas against El Paso right-hander Jhony Brito (1-1, 0.96 ERA).
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, 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.
