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Kids Night Out

Aviators smack three HRs in 14-3 blowout of Tacoma

Jacob Wilson, Nate Mondou and Cody Thomas go deep to help Las Vegas snap six-game losing skid
Second baseman Nate Mondou made the most of a rare start Sunday, going 3-for-4 with a home run in helping the Aviators to a 14-3 victory over the Tacoma Rainiers at Las Vegas Ballpark. (Steve Spatafore | Las Vegas Aviators)
June 20, 2021

After going more than a week without tasting the fruits of victory, the Aviators took the field Sunday starving for a win. And they couldn’t have cared less how they got it: sloppy, lucky, squeaker, blowout, come-from-behind — it didn’t matter. The fact they got that long-overdue win with one

After going more than a week without tasting the fruits of victory, the Aviators took the field Sunday starving for a win. And they couldn’t have cared less how they got it: sloppy, lucky, squeaker, blowout, come-from-behind — it didn’t matter.

The fact they got that long-overdue win with one of their most complete performances of the entire season? Call it the cherry on top of a delicious Father’s Day sundae.

Clutch hitting, quality pitching, impeccable defense — the Aviators did it all in a 14-3 rout of the Tacoma Rainiers before a crowd of 5,726 that the braved searing sunshine in the final day game of the season at Las Vegas Ballpark. With the blowout victory, Las Vegas (19-21) snapped its season-long six-game losing skid (as well as Tacoma’s seven-game winning streak).

Playing in temperatures in excess of 110 degrees, Las Vegas’ offense torched six Rainiers pitchers for 16 hits, including a double, triple and three home runs. Equally as impressive were the performances by starting pitcher Daulton Jefferies and four relievers, who combined to scatter nine hits and without issuing a single walk.

Indeed, the heroes were many:

• Left fielder Jacob Wilson ended an 0-for-9 slump with a two-run homer in the third inning that gave the Aviators (19-21) a 3-2 lead they would never relinquish.

• Third baseman Vimael Machín went 2-for-4 with two runs and four RBI. His bases-loaded triple with one out in the fourth inning boosted the Aviators’ lead to 6-2, which grew to 7-2 when Machín trotted home on Frank Schwindel’s ensuing sacrifice fly.

• Second baseman and No. 9 hitter Nate Mondou reached safely and scored twice in his first three at-bats thanks to a pair of singles and solo home run leading off the sixth inning.

• Five batters after Mondou cleared the right-field wall with a moonshot, center fielder Cody Thomas blew the game open with a three-run homer to center that gave the Aviators an 11-2 lead.

• Right fielder and leadoff hitter Greg Deichmann reached base safely in each of his first five plate appearances (two singles, three walks) and scored four times.

• Jefferies bounced back from his only poor start of the season, surrendering just two runs (both in the third inning) on six hits. He struck out four, didn’t walk a batter for the fifth time in six starts and became the first Aviators starting pitcher to earn a victory at home this season.

• After Jefferies departed, relievers J.B. Wendelken, Ben Bracewell, Adam Kolarek and Matt Blackham each took the mound for an inning and combined to hold Tacoma (22-16) to one run on three hits while striking out five. Just how dominant were Jefferies and the quartet of relievers? They retired 19 of the final 23 Rainiers batters who came to the plate, including the last six in a row.

Putting the exclamation point on the complete team victory, Las Vegas also played error-free baseball for the third time in the last four games.

It all added up to a moment the Aviators hadn’t experienced in eight days: a postgame celebratory handshake line — not to mention a huge sigh of relief.

GAME NOTES: Every player in the Aviators’ lineup scored at least one run, and except for first baseman Francisco Peña (0-for-4), everyone contributed at least one hit. In addition to Deichmann, Machín and Mondou, Wilson (2-for-5, two RBI), Thomas (2-for-5, two runs, three RBI), Schwindel (2-for-4, three RBI) and shortstop Pete Kozma (2-for-5, run, RBI) also had multiple hits. … Las Vegas extended its home-run streak to 15 straight games, four shy of the franchise record set in 2019. … Machín left the game after getting hit with a pitch in his right knee in the seventh inning. He was unable to put any weight on his leg as he was carried off the field. After the game, Aviators manager Fran Riordan said the ball struck a nerve and that Machín likely will be sidelined for at least couple of games. … One day after going 3-for-4 with a double and two homers, Rainiers infielder Jack Reinheimer doubled twice in four at-bats.

A THIRD OF THE WAY HOME: The Aviators have now completed one-third of their pandemic-shortened 120-game season, and Schwindel continues to pace the club in virtually every offensive category. The first baseman has a team-high 48 hits, 21 extra-base hits, 14 multi-hit games, 13 home runs and 33 RBI. Also, his .306 batting average leads all active Aviators, and his 33 runs scored are more than any other player in Triple-A West.

On the pitching front, Jefferies ranks first among starters in ERA (3.77); right-hander Domingo Acevedo ranks first among relief pitchers in ERA (2.76) and saves (five); and Paul Blackburn leads the way in innings pitched (46 1/3) and strikeouts (38). Five pitchers — Blackburn, Jefferies and relievers Argenis Angulo, James Naile and A.J. Puk — are tied for the team lead in wins with two.

ON DECK: Brian Howard (1-3, 6.54 ERA) is scheduled to return to the mound for the Aviators on Monday and oppose Tacoma’s Logan Verrett (2-1, 3.06) in a battle of right-handers on “Pride Night”. First pitch for the fourth game of this six-game series is 7:05 p.m.

Catch every Aviators game throughout the season on Raider Nation Radio 920-AM, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @AviatorsLV.