Hot-hitting Aviators return home, face slumping El Paso

The Aviators flew north to Reno last week with a three-game winning streak and a straightforward game plan: Keep on winning in order to close the gap between themselves and the first-place Aces.

Las Vegas executed that game plan to near perfection at the start of the six-game series, winning three of the first four contests, with the only blemish being a 1-0 loss in Thursday’s series opener. However, the Aviators were unable to sustain that momentum, as they dropped a pair of two-run decisions on Monday (7-5) and Tuesday (9-7) to finish with a split of the six-game set.

As a result, Las Vegas (29-31) once again finds itself nine games behind Reno in the West Division of Triple-A West. The good news? The Aviators on Thursday return to Las Vegas Ballpark, where they closed out their most recent homestand by tallying 33 runs in a trio of victories against the Sacramento River Cats.

The better news? They’re welcoming the El Paso Chihuahuas, whose 25-33 record and minus-55 run differential rank next-to-last in the 10-team Triple-A West. Only Albuquerque (24-35, minus-95 run differential) is worse.

El Paso is just 4-8 in July, 10-18 on the road this season and has struggled both on the mound and at the plate. In fact, the Chihuahuas have scored the third-fewest runs in the league (321), have hit the second-fewest home runs (66) and have the third-worst team ERA (6.44).

That latter statistic is particularly good news for Las Vegas, which continues to scorch the baseball. After racking up 43 hits — including eight home runs — in their series-ending 33-run assault against Sacramento, the Aviators went to Reno and followed Thursday’s shutout loss by producing 47 runs and 67 hits (including another 12 homers) in the final five games.

Las Vegas enters Thursday’s contest having scored the second most runs (415) in all of Triple A, trailing only Reno (444). The Aviators also rank second among all Triple-A teams in doubles (129, just one behind Reno) and triples (21); third in hits (597), walks (271), batting average (.279) and OPS (.881); and fifth in home runs (101, just seven behind leader Omaha).

That offense has been needed to prop up a pitching staff that has been inconsistent at best and downright awful at worst. In fact, Las Vegas ranks dead last in Triple A in team ERA (6.63) and runs allowed (432), and opposing teams have hit 111 home runs, tied with Reno for most surrendered in Triple A.

The silver lining, at least as it pertains to this upcoming series: The Aviators’ beleaguered staff is facing a Chihuahuas offense that managed just one run in its last two contests and has been held to four runs or fewer in exactly half (29) of its 58 games.

Despite El Paso’s season-long across-the-board struggles, Aviators manager Fran Riordan doesn’t expect this series to be a cakewalk.

“They’ve had a tough go of it through the first half of the season, but they’re a talented bunch that’s more than capable of going on a hot streak, so we have to be ready to play,” Riordan said of the Chihuahuas. “Sure, we’re in a pretty good groove offensively, but we need more consistency out of our starters and bullpen. Hopefully, we’ll get that this week and start climbing up the standings.”

THOMAS STILL ROLLING: Aviators outfielder Cody Thomas was named Triple-A West Player of the Month for June, but just because the page turned on the calendar doesn’t mean the 26-year-old has stopped hitting. In fact, through the first two weeks of July, Thomas is making a strong case to win the monthly honor again.

Through 11 games, he’s batting .333 (15-for-45) with three homers 15 RBI, 10 runs, seven doubles, one triple and six walks — and that’s despite going 0-for-8 in the final two games in Reno.

During a torrid stretch from July 5-11, Thomas hit .478 (11-for-23) with nine extra-base hits (five doubles, a triple and three homers, one of which was a walk-off blast). He also tallied 11 RBI, scored eight runs and had four multi-hit games. That was good enough to earn him Triple-A West Player of the Week honors, making him the second Aviator this season to win the award (first baseman Frank Schwindel won it for his performance from June 7-13).

Thomas, who was batting .171 with one RBI (a solo homer) as recently as May 29, is now hitting .291 with 16 homers (tied with Schwindel for the team lead), 47 RBI (third most in Triple-A West), 17 doubles and 39 runs. His 36 extra-base hits and .685 slugging percentage lead the league.

GOING STREAKING: Aviators infielder Nate Mondou closed out the series against the Aces with a five-game hitting streak, going 10-for-23. Since July 3, Mondou has hit safely in nine of 10 games, recording multiple hits in eight of those contests. He’s batting .404 in July (19-for-47) with seven doubles, eight runs and nine RBI.

Catcher/first baseman/designated hitter Francisco Peña hit safely in the final four games he played in Reno, going 8-for-19 with two home runs, six RBI and seven runs scored. In the process, he’s raised his season batting average from .215 to .248.

Fellow catcher Carlos Pérez also shined in Reno, going 8-for-22 with four homers (including a grand slam) and seven RBI in the first five games. Although he went 0-for-5 in Tuesday’s loss to snap a six-game hitting streak, he’s still hit safely in nine of 11 games in July, batting .391 with six homers (two grand slams) and 18 RBI.

Yet another catcher, Austin Allen, had his team-best 15-game hitting streak snapped in Saturday’s victory over the Aces. However, he picked up hits in the final two games he played (including a two-run homer Tuesday) and enters Thursday having hit safely in 16 of his last 17 contests.

Shortstop Pete Kozma went 0-for-4 at Reno on Tuesday, ending his five-game hitting streak. The veteran shortstop now has four lengthy hitting streaks this season: a pair of five-gamers, a nine-gamer and a 10-gamer.

WELCOME BACK, FRANK: The Aviators’ red-hot offense figures to get an added boost with the return of Schwindel, whom the Oakland A’s optioned back to Las Vegas on Monday. Schwindel appeared in eight games with the A’s and went 3-for-20, including a booming two-run home run in his very first at-bat.

The cleanup hitter anchored Las Vegas’ lineup through the first two months of season, batting .324 with 16 homers, 42 runs and 41 RBI. At the time of his promotion to Oakland, Schwindel led all Triple-A West hitters in runs and total bases (119), and was tied for first in homers, RBI and hits (60).

Schwindel is expected to be back in Las Vegas in time for Thursday’s game against the Chihuahuas.

PROMOTIONS IN MOTION: Fans who attend the series against El Paso will be treated to several promotions, starting Thursday with $2 Beer Night. Giveaways are scheduled for Friday (Aviators tote bags) and Saturday (Aviators socks), while Tuesday is Reyes de Plate night, when the Aviators transform into their alter egos as part of the Minor League Baseball’s Copa de la Diversión initiative that celebrates local Latino/Hispanic culture.

All six games in the series start at 7:05 p.m. For tickets, click here.