The Las Vegas Aviators finally cooled off Friday night, but the bigger story came from who was back in the lineup.
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer began a rehab assignment with Las Vegas nearly two months after suffering a ruptured testicle in a July 20 game against Arizona. He went 0-for-3 as the Aviators were shut out 4-0 by the Sugar Land Space Cowboys at Constellation Field.
The loss snapped Las Vegas’ eight-game winning streak and dropped the Aviators to 86-60, one night after they set a new franchise single-season wins record.
Kuroda-Grauer returns to game action
Kuroda-Grauer started at designated hitter in his first game action since the injury.
The 23-year-old grounded out in the first, grounded into a double play in the third and struck out in the sixth. Devin Taylor pinch-hit for him in the ninth.
Kuroda-Grauer had been one of the Athletics’ hottest hitters before the injury. Through his first 16 major league games, he was batting .417 with a .435 on-base percentage and .583 slugging percentage.
He had 25 hits, seven doubles, one home run and four RBIs over that stretch. Through his first 15 games, Kuroda-Grauer had 23 hits, tying Bill Burgo’s Athletics record for hits through a player’s first 15 major league games.
The injury occurred July 20 against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field after Kuroda-Grauer fouled a pitch into his groin. He remained in the game briefly before leaving and later underwent emergency surgery that night.
The Athletics placed him on the injured list the next day, then transferred him to the 60-day injured list on Sept. 1.
His rehab assignment now brings him back to Las Vegas, where he played earlier this season before the Athletics selected his contract June 29.
Sugar Land jumps on Gonzalez
The Space Cowboys scored all four of their runs in the second inning against James Gonzalez.
Jason Schiavone opened with a walk before Zach Cole singled him home. Cole later stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Cole Conn.
Raynel Delgado followed with a fielder’s choice that scored Cole, then Trevor Austin doubled home Collin Price to make it 3-0.
Brice Matthews added a sacrifice fly for the fourth run.
Gonzalez lasted 1 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on two hits. He walked two and struck out three.
Bullpen settles the game
The Las Vegas bullpen kept the game from getting away.
Jake Garland entered in the second and threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out four.
Hunter Bigge followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and Taylor Rashi worked the final 1 1/3 without allowing a run.
The three relievers combined for 6 2/3 scoreless innings and seven strikeouts.
Las Vegas never gave them enough offensive support to make the early deficit matter.
Aviators offense goes quiet
Ryan Weiss controlled the Aviators for most of the night.
He worked 8 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out seven. Alex Santos II recorded the final two outs.
Las Vegas managed singles from Conn, Johnathan Rodríguez, Luke Mann and Jared Dickey.
The Aviators went 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position, left only three men on base and never generated a sustained threat.
Rodríguez and Mann singled back-to-back with two outs in the second, but Dickey grounded into a force out to end the inning.
After that, Las Vegas never put two runners on base in the same inning.
Streak ends after historic run
The loss ended an eight-game winning streak that pushed the Aviators to the best second-half record in the PCL West.
Las Vegas entered Friday having already set a new franchise record with its 86th victory of the season.
The larger goal is already in place. The Aviators will host the Oklahoma City Comets in the Pacific Coast League Championship beginning Sept. 22 at Las Vegas Ballpark.
Up next
Las Vegas continues its final regular-season series Saturday at Constellation Field.
The Aviators have not announced their starting pitcher. Sugar Land’s probable starter should be considered to be determined until the club posts an updated matchup.
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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.
