The Las Vegas Aviators spent the summer rewriting franchise history. On Thursday night, the final chapter ended one victory short of a championship.
Oklahoma City beat Las Vegas 5-2 in the deciding Game 3 of the Pacific Coast League Championship at Las Vegas Ballpark, taking the best-of-three series 2-1. The Aviators had won a wild 13-11 opener before dropping Game 2 7-2, leaving Thursday as a winner-take-all finish to a season that produced a franchise-record 87 regular-season victories.
Las Vegas managed only four hits in the finale and did not score until Brayan Buelvas hit a two-run homer in the eighth. By then, Oklahoma City had built a five-run lead and controlled most of the night.
Comets strike first
James Gonzalez gave Las Vegas a clean first inning, but Oklahoma City broke through in the second.
Alek Thomas singled before Ryan Fitzgerald doubled into right, scoring Thomas for a 1-0 lead. Gonzalez limited the damage there, retiring the next two hitters and stranding Fitzgerald at third.
His night ended after two innings. Gonzalez allowed one run on two hits and a walk while striking out one.
The Aviators turned to Matt Sauer in the third, and Oklahoma City immediately added to the lead.
Zach Ehrhard doubled to open the inning and Josue De Paula singled him to third. James Tibbs III walked to load the bases before Mike Sirota singled home Ehrhard.
Thomas followed with a sacrifice fly that scored De Paula and made it 3-0.
Sauer recorded only one out while allowing two runs on three hits and a walk.
Johnson keeps Las Vegas within reach
Jared Johnson entered with runners at first and second and one out in the third, then prevented the inning from getting any worse.
He struck out Fitzgerald before retiring Eliezer Alfonzo on a groundout. Johnson followed with a perfect fourth and retired the first two hitters of the fifth before issuing a walk to Sirota.
Johnson finished with 2 1/3 hitless, scoreless innings and helped keep a struggling Las Vegas offense within three runs.
Hayden Juenger followed and escaped a two-hit threat in the sixth, getting Hyeseong Kim to strike out and Ehrhard to line out with runners at the corners.
Aviators cannot find the big hit
Las Vegas had opportunities but could not turn them into runs.
Bryan Lavastida walked in the second, but the inning ended with him stranded at second. Davis Diaz singled in the third before Oklahoma City reliever Jerming Rosario retired Conn and Darell Hernaiz.
The Aviators created their best early opportunity in the sixth.
Cole Conn and Hernaiz opened the inning with consecutive walks. After Kyle Hurt replaced Christian Romero, Buelvas struck out and Joey Meneses followed with another strikeout.
Lavastida walked to load the bases with two outs, giving Las Vegas a chance to change the game with one swing. Johnathan Rodríguez grounded out to first, leaving all three runners stranded.
Las Vegas went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left seven on base.
Oklahoma City adds two late
The Comets finally created separation in the eighth.
Kim singled with two outs against Taylor Rashi before Ehrhard doubled him home. De Paula followed with another double, scoring Ehrhard and stretching the lead to 5-0.
Those runs became significant moments later.
Oklahoma City finished with 11 hits and repeatedly forced the Las Vegas bullpen to work with runners aboard. The Comets went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base.
Buelvas gives Las Vegas life
The Aviators finally broke through in the bottom of the eighth.
Hernaiz opened the inning with a triple to center. Buelvas then drove an 0-2 pitch over the center-field wall for a two-run homer, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
The 421-foot shot left his bat at 98.9 mph and briefly brought Las Vegas Ballpark back into the game.
Oklahoma City reliever Seth Halvorsen settled down immediately afterward, retiring Meneses, Lavastida and Rodríguez to stop the momentum.
It proved to be Las Vegas’ final offensive push.
One last chance
The top of the ninth threatened to get away from Las Vegas when Sirota walked and Thomas singled him to third against Ben Bowden.
Wander Suero entered and helped keep the deficit at three. Thomas was caught stealing, Fitzgerald reached on a fielder’s choice that resulted in Sirota being thrown out at home and Noah Miller eventually flew out to end the inning.
That gave the Aviators one final chance.
Devin Taylor popped out to begin the bottom of the ninth. Jared Dickey reached the plate after a dropped foul ball extended his at-bat, but Paul Gervase struck him out.
Luke Mann grounded out to first to end the game and the season.
Historic season stops just short
Thursday’s loss does not erase what Las Vegas accomplished.
The Aviators finished the regular season 87-61, setting a franchise record for wins. They won the first-half title in the PCL West, later finished with the best second-half record in the division and reached the championship series after a late-season surge that included an eight-game winning streak.
They also won one of the wildest games of the season in the championship opener, surviving Oklahoma City 13-11 to move within one victory of the title.
But the Comets answered by winning the final two games. Las Vegas scored only four total runs across Games 2 and 3 after producing 13 in the opener.
The Aviators’ record-setting season ended Thursday night at Las Vegas Ballpark, one victory short of the Pacific Coast League championship.
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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.
