FSM Essential Recap: Aviators vs Express - Series 10

FSM Essential Recap: Aviators vs Express – Series 10

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Las Vegas Aviators (34-22) | Round Rock Express (32-25)

 

Game 3

A 15-run onslaught was exactly what the Aviators’ offense needed to counter the pitching woes Thursday, grabbing the 15-10 win over Round Rock.

 

Yohel Pozo wasted no time opening the scoring for Round Rock Thursday, making it 2-0 with his fifth homer in the series finale.  Vegas would escape before things worsened but would be retired in order in the home half.

Elier Hernandez tacked on one more for the Express in the 2nd, lacing a solo shot to make it 3-0 before Vegas could finally respond. In the home half of the inning, Langeliers and Bride went down with ease. The damage would come with two outs.  Dalton Kelly cashed in an Austin Allen double with his 7th home run of the season, bringing it to a 1-run game.

The next inning of work for the Aviator offense was a beauty; back-to-back home runs would have them on top.  After Mondou led off the inning with a double, Fernandez hammered his 6th for the lead.  Neuse came up on the follow with his 2nd of his early stint with Vegas, leading to a 5-run inning that put them up 7-3.

The Express chipped away for four extra-base hits in the 4th inning, however, bringing it back to a 1-run game. They let go of that momentum in the home half rather quickly. After Machin provided insurance with a run-scoring single, two runs would score on different wild pitches to get them in double-digits.  Neuse added another the next inning with a sac fly as the offense continued to roll in pursuit of the series win.

Round Rock had more answers for Vegas in the 6th when Adam Kolarek would come on for his second series appearance.  With two runners already in scoring position, he allowed Josh Sale to make it a 2-run game with a single to drive in both runners.  Hernandez then stepped up for more damage by ripping the triple that brought it to 11-10.  This was indeed an offensive show for both sides. The Aviators knew they likely needed more insurance.

That insurance came in the bottom of the 8th after two scoreless innings of work from the bullpen.  The Aviators would have the bases loaded before an out could be recorded, leading to Austin Allen coming through with the 2-run double.  The other Allen in Nick Allen followed with the same result. His double seamed down the line in right to bring Vegas to a 15 spot.

Snead then came in for the second straight night and promptly retired the side easily.  As the crowd roared with high energy due to endless offense, the game and series win was secure.

 

Game 3 Box Score

 

WP: Aaron Brown (2-2)

LP: A.J. Alexy (3-2)

HR: Aviators- Dalton Kelly (7), Vince Fernandez (6), Sheldon Neuse (2), Express – Yohel Pozo (5), Elier Hernandez (5)

 

 

Game 2

Three key run-scoring doubles in the 8th inning helped define the Aviator offense Wednesday, leading to a 5-2 victory.

 

Adrian Martinez would go seven scoreless Wednesday night, striking out seven on only two hits.  It was a classic pitcher’s duel, and both sides were without offense until the 6th inning.  The Vegas offense was held in check by Spencer Howard, who went a solid five innings of work.

Vegas had their early opportunities in the 3rd and 4th innings but left five runners on during that span.  They would leave a total of 9 runners on before finally breaking through in the middle innings.

After Dermis Garcia led off the 6th inning, reaching base with a walk, Nick Allen cashed him in with a double for the game’s first run.  Martinez was hoping for any sign of offense from his club, finally getting the answer before the inning came to a close.

His final inning of work helped the Aviators maintain the 1-0 lead, allowing the new send-down in Sheldon Neuse to make his first mark.  Neuse hammered his first AAA homer of the season to dead center, making it 2-0 to the roar of the crowd.  The Express remained strong and would escape without further damage, but their offense remained nowhere to be found.

The signature inning for Vegas came in the home 8th after another zero would be posted.  Langeliers would get it all started with a leadoff double before Fernandez and Allen joined in with their own doubles to bring it to 4-0.  There were ultimately four doubles in the inning for Vegas. Drew Jackson would bring home a run of his own down the line to left.  Neuse nearly missed his second home run of the game but would instead fly out deep to end things for the Express.

Kirby Snead came in to close things down and even the series, facing trouble; however, after retiring the first batter with ease.  Two straight singles from Round Rock led to Arias picking up two more runs batted in, in the series. His screaming single brought things much closer than they needed to be, but Snead wore down to retire Hernandez and secure the win.

 

Game 2 Box Score

 

WP: Adrian Martinez (3-2)

LP: Jose Leclerc (0-1)

HR: Aviators- Sheldon Neuse (1)

 

Game 1

A 6-run 8th inning allowed by Brian Howard propelled the Express Tuesday, leading to the unfortunate 9-6 loss for the Aviators.

 

Colin Wiles kicked off the series by sending the Express down in order in the 1st.  The Aviators responded by leaving Nate Mondou on base in the home half, waiting until the 2nd to wake up offensively.

After Wiles got through another clean inning of work, Vegas would have the bases loaded right away. Two manufactured runs brought in by a Nick Allen walk and Billy McKinney groundout opened the scoring.

Wiles held Round Rock scoreless through his first five innings, striking out 4.  This allowed the Aviators to tack one more on the board in the 4th. Nate Mondou brought in a run with a sac fly to make it 3-0.  The Aviator offense maintained the early lead due to small ball, but after the Express forced Wiles out, they would jump back ahead.  Leody Taveras beat Wiles with his 7th home run of the season to put them on the board before Yohel Pozo made it a 1-run game with a double.  Two fundamental pitching changes would help Vegas escape the inning with the lead intact, but the damage was done.

Disobel Arias would ultimately tie things up with a laser to dead center; however, his first trip around the bases this year.  The Aviators went in order in both the 6th and 7th innings, allowing Round Rock to gain ground.

Brian Howard entered in the away 8th, only to be greeted with one of his worst outings seen this season. After allowing the bases to be loaded, he showed a brief possibility of escaping things by retiring Nick Solak, but Arias struck again with a single to put them down 5-3.  Elier Hernandez and Ryan Dorow followed up with doubles. Vegas would be down six runs before the inning could finally come to a close.

Shea Langeliers responded in the home half by moving Fernandez to third base with a single, leading to a run on a wild pitch.  There was more than enough ground left to gain in the final innings, to their dismay, but they would formulate an attempted answer in the bottom of the ninth.

The Aviators loaded the bases despite Dermis Garcia going down on strikes for the 2nd out.  Down to the wire, Fernandez was able to bring it to a 2-run game by singling home a pair.  The Aviators did the best they could to come back in front of the home crowd.  To everyone’s disappointment, however, Langeliers couldn’t cash in by striking out to finally close it out.

 

Game 1 Box Score

 

WP: Jake Latz (4-5)

LP: Adam Kolarek (0-1)

HR: Express- Leody Taveras (5), Disobel Arias (1)

 

Aviators vs Express                        Aviators vs Express                   Aviators vs Express                    Aviators vs Express             Aviators vs Express                        Aviators vs Express                   Aviators vs Express                    Aviators vs Express             Aviators vs Express                        Aviators vs Express                   Aviators vs Express                    Aviators vs Express             Aviators vs Express                        Aviators vs Express                                       

– Duncan Dye 

Follow Duncan on Instagram @duncandyefsm  

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