Pena, Aviators beat wind, Bees in 16-8 victory

Francisco Pena went 3-for-4, including a three-run home run, and drove in seven runs as the the Aviators routed the Salt Lake Bees 16-8 on Thursday night at Las Vegas Ballpark.

The game featured wind gusts of more than 35 mph, helping both teams to hit a combined six home runs. The game also had 27 hits, including 19 by the Aviators (7-6).

The teams were tied at 8-8 in the fifth inning when Jacob Wilson hit a two-run homer. Pena extended the lead in the sixth by getting hit by a pitch and pushing in Vimael Machin. Frank Schwindel scored soon after on a wild pitch, increasing the lead to 12-8.

The Aviators scored four more runs in the seventh, including three on Pena’s home run, which increased his batting average to .310.

Machin, Schwindel, Austin Allen and Skye Bolt also had three hits and three runs a piece.

The Bees (5-8) had four home runs in the first five innings with two solo homers by Joe Adell, a three-run homer by Scott Schebler and a two-run shot by Jake Gatewood.

Aviators reliever Tanner Anderson (2-0) earned the victory in 1 1/3 innings of work, despite allowing Schebler’s homer. Jake Buchanan (0-1) took the loss for the Bees after giving up five earned runs on eight hits.

The teams play the second game of the six-game series at 7 tonight.