Aviators Top 10: Drew Robinson goes deep in his hometown

1. Big fly

Drew Robinson, the former Silverado High star who is trying to return to the major leagues after losing an eye in a suicide attempt, hit a home run for Sacramento against the Aviators Tuesday. The word previously used to describe Robinson’s comeback was “courageous.” Now it’s “astonishment.”

2. Big rally

Do you believe in (minor) miracles? Yes! Trailing Sacramento 10-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning and down to its last two outs last Saturday, the Aviators rallied for four runs, then pushed across another in the 10th for their first win of 2021.

3. Big scratch

After dropping their first two road games of the season at Reno, the Aviators are itching to return to Las Vegas Ballpark — especially now that whatever was causing fans to do the same in their seats on opening night apparently has been rectified. “Our efforts to sand and seal the frames appears to be working as complaints seemingly stopped throughout (last) weekend during which we had strong attendance,” the Aviators said in a statement.

4. Gran uniforme

The Aviators defeated Sacramento 10-7 in the first Reyes de Plata (Silver Kings) game of 2021 Tuesday. They are 8-1 wearing uniforms celebrating Las Vegas’ Hispanic and mining heritage during which they have outscored their opponents 84-46.

5. Big swings

Just like the big boys: In the first six-game series of the 2021 season, the Aviators and Sacramento combined for 21 home runs and 116 strikeouts. Each team whiffed 58 teams, and 37 percent of the outs were strikeouts.

6. Big yell

Sacramento’s Joey Bart, the second overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft by the Giants out of Georgia Tech, hit a home run so majestic Monday night that it prompted Aviators’ president Don Logan to exclaim in amazement. A follow-up text message the next day placed the prodigious blast to center field at 475 feet.

7. Big Carr

Speaking of going deep, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and his family witnessed their first Aviators game Tuesday. Judging from the team gear the Carrs were sporting, their night at the ballpark included a lengthy stop at the gift shop on the third base concourse.

8. Big buzz

The Aviators return to Las Vegas Ballpark Thursday for a six-game series against the Salt Lake Bees, the top farm club of the Los Angeles Angels. Bees pitcher Thomas Pannone, who threw an immaculate inning — three strikeouts on nine pitches — in 2019 for the Toronto Blue Jays, played his lone college season at the College of Southern Nevada.

9. Big band

Infielder Pete Kozma, whose 341 games played in the major leagues leads the Aviators, also topped a poll for top walk-up music among the local batsmen for his choice of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song.” The classic rock anthem was released in 1970, 18 years before Kozma was born.

10. Aviators quick quiz (which is big)

Which of these are not an official team color: Navy, orange, tangerine, gold, periwinkle, yellow, gray. (Answer: periwinkle. Though one of the top 10 most popular Crayola crayon colors, there isn’t a speck of the blue-violet shade in the Aviators’ extensive palette.)

Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.