Aviators Top 10: Runs just keep on coming

1. The runs keep coming

A day after scoring 15 runs to defeat the Aviators on Sunday, Reno added 21 on Monday and 16 on Tuesday. On the preceding Saturday, the Aviators crossed home plate 18 times. The final scores of the four games were 18-7, 15-7, 21-16 and 16-4.

2. Batting practice fastballs

The combined 37 runs in Monday’s game were perceived as astronomical and extraordinary. But the total only tied the Las Vegas Ballpark record for most runs in game. For those scoring at home (with heavy duty calculators), Round Rock beat the Aviators 26-11 on June 6, 2019.

3. And more BP fastballs

The earned-run average of Daulton Jefferies, the Aviators’ starting pitcher in the 21-16 game against Reno, was a stingy 1.37 going in. It was 3.80 going out. The new ERAs of the other Las Vegas pitchers who appeared in the torching: Ben Bracewell, 10.66; Adam Kolerek, 15.43; James Naile, 5.28 (he pitched only to four batters but walked two and hit one); Miguel Romero, 9.24; Reymin Guduan, 9.82; Jesus Zambrano, 15.19.

4. Runs for the border

Because the Aviators topped seven runs on Monday (by the third inning, I might add), fans received a free Doritos Loco Taco in a promotion with participating Taco Bell restaurants. The fast food chain got off much easier than the Las Vegas pitching staff.

5. Frankly speaking

Aviators first baseman Frank Schwindel was named Triple-A Player of the Week for June 7-13 after batting .429 (12-for-28) with six home runs and seven RBIs. He hit another homer Tuesday, giving him 12 for the season, but was 0-for-5 Thursday and 1-for-4 Friday against Tacoma as his batting average dipped to .295.

6. Quite a wallop

Two nights after Schwindel appeared to take a chunk out of City National Arena, the Golden Knights’ practice rink, with a line drive home run, the Aviators’ Cody Thomas hit a ball totally out of Las Vegas Ballpark last Saturday night. It cleared the berm in right field and appeared headed for Town Center Drive when the cameras and Doppler radar lost track of it.

7. If you can’t stand the heat …

… then Las Vegas Ballpark is not the place to be during the current homestand. Blazing temperatures combined with Golden Knights playoff hockey on TV have limited the Aviators to two sellouts in eight games through Friday.

8. Comings and goings

Skye Bolt is back with the Aviators after going 1-for-13 with the A’s during his call-up. The one hit was his first MLB home run. The A’s also released Tanner Anderson Thursday. He was 3-0 with a decent 3.60 ERA in 15 appearances with the Aviators but was walking a bunch of guys (12 in 15 innings with only three strikeouts).

9. Hear that music

With the Aviators heading back on the road Wednesday, Las Vegas Ballpark will host its first concert of the season on Saturday night. British Rock Royalty will perform the hits of The Who, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Queen and Led Zeppelin. The band is fronted by Las Vegan Brody Dolyniuk, who has an ERA of 0.00 — probably because he has yet to face Reno.

10. Aviators quick quiz

In 2015, what oozed into the first base dugout at Cashman Field, triggering a domino effect that led to the construction of Las Vegas Ballpark: A: Bubbly crude. B. Tobacco juice. C: Sunflower seeds. D: Raw sewage. (Although bubbly crude would have been one way to describe it, and it may have contained tobacco juice and sunflower seeds, the correct answer is D: raw sewage, that spewed into the dugout when a toilet backed up.

Ron Kantowski Review-Journal