The Las Vegas Aviators grabbed an early lead Saturday night, but their offense went quiet after the first inning in a 5-1 loss to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys at Las Vegas Ballpark.
Las Vegas fell to 75-54 and had its five-game winning streak snapped. The Aviators managed five hits, struck out 16 times and went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Conn gives Las Vegas quick lead
Denzel Clarke opened the bottom of the first with a walk before Cole Conn doubled to left, scoring Clarke for a 1-0 lead.
Las Vegas had a chance to add more after Johnathan Rodríguez and Joey Meneses drew consecutive walks to load the bases with nobody out.
Instead, Sugar Land escaped. Brayan Buelvas, Luke Mann and Jack Winkler struck out in succession to leave three runners stranded.
That missed opportunity became costly.
Sugar Land takes control
Sugar Land scored twice against Mason Barnett in the third.
Zach Cole walked, César Salazar singled and Lucas Spence reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Trenton Brooks tied the game with a sacrifice fly before Pascanel Ferreras singled home Salazar for a 2-1 lead.
Barnett limited the damage and worked out of another jam in the fourth after two wild pitches moved Cole to third.
He finished five innings, allowing three runs on six hits with four walks and one strikeout.
Aviators offense stalls
Las Vegas never found another breakthrough.
Mann doubled with two outs in the third but was stranded. Buelvas reached second on a single and throwing error in the sixth before the Aviators again came away empty.
The Aviators finished with 11 runners left on base.
Sugar Land’s bullpen dominated after starter Jackson Nezuh left in the second inning. Alimber Santa, Alex Santos II, Christian Roa, Bryan King, Miguel Ullola and Roddery Muñoz combined to hold Las Vegas scoreless the rest of the way.
Space Cowboys add insurance
Sugar Land stretched the lead in the sixth when Brooks doubled home Cole against Yunior Tur.
Zach Dezenzo added a solo home run in the seventh before Cavan Biggio hit another solo shot in the ninth.
Joe Rock worked the final two innings for Las Vegas, allowing one run on one hit while walking three.
Up next
The Aviators close the six-game series against Sugar Land on Sunday at 6:05 p.m. PDT at Las Vegas Ballpark.
Left-hander Dallas Keuchel (0-2, 7.36 ERA) is scheduled to start for Las Vegas against Sugar Land right-hander Bryce Mayer (1-1, 4.40 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.
