Aviators’ offensive slump continues in 10-2 loss to Sacramento

There’s one universal truth that applies to all levels of baseball — from Little League all the way to the big leagues: Any team that loses its regular cleanup hitter is bound to suffer a decline in offensive output. And when that cleanup hitter also happens to be the team’s most consistently productive hitter? The decline is usually steep and substantial.

It’s a truth the Aviators know all too well, because they’re in the midst living it.

For the third time in as many games, Las Vegas’ offense struggled mightily without slugger Frank Schwindel anchoring the middle of the lineup, managing just two hits in Thursday’s 10-2 loss to the Sacramento River Cats before a crowd of 7,173 at Las Vegas Ballpark. The Aviators (23-26) have now followed a four-game winning streak by dropping five of six, including the last three in a row during which they’ve scored just seven runs and produced only 13 hits.

Not-so-coincidentally, the team’s offensive woes started the moment Schwindel took his team-leading .324 batting average, 16 home runs, 41 RBI and 42 runs to the Oakland A’s, who informed the first baseman he was being promoted after the Aviators’ 5-3 victory in Salt Lake on Sunday.

After dropping the final two games to Salt Lake by scores of 3-1 on Monday and 4-2 on Tuesday, the Aviators returned to Las Vegas Ballpark hoping some home cooking would heat up their bats in the opener of a six-game series against Sacramento. And there was certainly good reason for optimism, considering they tallied 43 runs in winning the final three games of their most recent homestand.

On top of that, Las Vegas had won eight of its previous 10 games this season against the River Cats (including four in a row at home), pushing across 72 runs in the process.

Of course, Schwindel was responsible for a good chunk of all that production. But he was nowhere to be found Thursday — and Sacramento (21-27) took full advantage of the power hitter’s absence. Five River Cats pitchers combined to limit the Aviators to a pair of singles — shortstop Pete Kozma’s first-inning blooper into short right field and catcher Austin Allen’s fourth-inning infield hit down the third-base line that beat an exaggerated defensive shift.

Las Vegas’ only runs came courtesy of a double-play groundout that ended the first — with Kozma scoring from third before the twin-killing was completed — and Cody Thomas’ bases-loaded walk in the fourth that trimmed the River Cats’ lead to 3-2. However, on the very next pitch, first baseman Francisco Peña fouled out to first base to end both the inning and the Aviators’ only real threat.

In fact, after left fielder Luis Barrera reached base on an error leading off the bottom of the fifth, River Cats relievers Kervin Castro, Sam Selman and Trevor Gott retired 14 consecutive Aviators hitters, with Gott striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth.

While Las Vegas was completely stymied at the plate over the final five innings, Sacramento’s offense blew the game open against the Aviators’ bullpen, scoring four runs in the seventh, one in the eighth and two in the ninth.

GAME NOTES: Las Vegas starting pitcher Paul Blackburn made his fourth start of the season against Sacramento and took the loss, giving up three runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out two in five innings. Blackburn is now 1-1 with a 4.36 ERA against the River Cats this season, allowing three earned runs or fewer in all four starts. … Both teams turned three double plays in the game, all in the first 6½ innings. … The top five hitters in Sacramento’s lineup — Braden Bishop, Mauricio Dubón, Jason Krizan, Joey Bart and Jason Vosler — combined to go 11-for-23 with two homers (by Bart and Vosler), six RBI and seven runs. The River Cats pounded out 15 hits. … Allen (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to nine games, but Thomas (0-for-2) and third baseman Jacob Wilson (0-for-4) saw their hitting streaks snapped at five and nine games, respectively. … Prior to producing just seven runs during their current three-game losing skid, the Aviators had scored 74 runs over a seven-game stretch (going 5-2).

LEADING THE WAY: Several Aviators rank at or near the top of the Triple-A West (formerly Pacific Coast League) leaderboard in several offensive categories. Entering Thursday’s game, outfielder Greg Deichmann was second in on-base percentage (.457); Thomas was first in slugging percentage (.646); and Wilson was first in extra-base hits (30), tied for second in RBI (40) and third in slugging percentage (.642).

Also, at the time of his big-league promotion, Schwindel ranked first in the league in runs (42) and total bases (119), and tied for first in hits (60), home runs (16) and RBI (41).

ON DECK: The Aviators and River Cats return to Las Vegas Ballpark at 7:05 p.m. Friday. Southpaw Jesus Luzardo (0-0, 3.38 ERA) is slated to take the mound for Las Vegas and oppose Sacramento right-hander Tyler Beede (0-3, 6.89).

The first of back-to-back fireworks shows will follow the game. Click here to purchase tickets.

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