The Las Vegas Aviators finally ran into a night their pitching could not survive.
Albuquerque scored 14 runs over the first six innings Saturday and handed Las Vegas a 14-4 loss at Isotopes Park, snapping the Aviators’ four-game winning streak.
Las Vegas fell to 70-53 and suffered its first loss of the series after clinching the set Friday.
Pitching unravels early
Joey Estes worked a clean first inning before Albuquerque broke through with three runs in the second.
Chad Stevens doubled before Bryant Betancourt drove him home with another double. Ryan Ritter followed with a two-run homer to left, giving the Isotopes a 3-0 lead.
Estes exited after 1 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits and one walk.
Matt Sauer took over and kept Albuquerque scoreless in the third, but the game broke open one inning later.
Seven-run fourth puts game away
The Isotopes sent 10 batters to the plate during a seven-run fourth.
Betancourt started the damage with another RBI double before Drew Avans drove in two with a double. Adael Amador added an RBI single to make it 7-0.
After Tyler Freeman singled, Domingo Robles replaced Sauer. Sterlin Thompson then greeted him with a three-run homer to right, extending the lead to 10-0.
Sauer was charged with six runs on four hits across two innings. Robles allowed five runs on five hits and three walks over two innings.
Albuquerque added four more runs in the sixth, pushing the lead to 14-2.
Aviators struggle to answer
Las Vegas did not score until the fifth.
Luke Mann walked, Drew Swift singled and Cole Conn drew another walk to load the bases. Denzel Clarke, continuing his rehab assignment, then walked to force home Mann.
Jared Dickey followed with an RBI single that scored Swift and cut the deficit to 10-2.
The Aviators managed six hits overall, although they went 3-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
Late runs soften margin
Las Vegas added two runs with two outs in the ninth.
Swift singled and Conn walked before Colby Halter drove in Swift with a single. Dickey followed with another RBI single to score Conn before being thrown out at second to end the game.
Dickey finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Swift went 2-for-3 with two runs and a walk, while Halter added a hit and an RBI off the bench.
Joe Rock and Ben Bowden combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings after Albuquerque had already built its 14-run total.
Up next
The Aviators close the series Sunday at 12:35 p.m. PDT at Isotopes Park.
Right-hander Jake Barnett (3-1, 4.34 ERA) is scheduled to start for Albuquerque. Las Vegas had not announced its probable starter.
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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.
