Barreto Leads Way as Reyes de Plata Pound Round Rock 19-9

As part of a Minor League Baseball initiative that celebrates Hispanic and Latino culture in more than 70 of its cities, the Las Vegas Aviators this season will play eight Copa de la Diversión ("Fun Cup") games at Las Vegas Ballpark as their alter ego, the Reyes de Plata. The Aviators' players might want to consider petitioning MiLB to extend that number, because they appear to be receiving superhero-like powers every time they don their Reyes de Plata uniforms.
Las Vegas returned home Tuesday and put an old-fashioned whuppin' on the Round Rock Express, rolling to 19-9 victory in the highest-scoring game in the brief history of Las Vegas Ballpark. Before a lively crowd of 8,649, the Reyes de Plata (which translastes as Silver Kings) established season highs for runs and hits (22), with virtually all of the damage coming in the first four innings.
With the victory, Las Vegas improved to 33-26 on the season, including 4-0 at home as the Reyes de Plata. The combined score of those four victories: 42-14 - with this one being the biggest laugher of the bunch.
On a night when every player in the Las Vegas lineup had at least one hit, one run scored and one RBI before the end of the third inning, the biggest offensive star was second baseman Franklin Barreto. One game after going 4-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in the finale of a nine-game road trip in Sacramento, Barreto had a home run, double, two singles, two runs and six RBI - all in his first four at-bats. That gave him eight consecutive hits over two games, with two homers, two doubles, four runs and nine RBI.
As impressive as Barreto was Tuesday, he wasn't the only Reyes de Plata player to get a hit in his first four trips to the plate, as left fielder and leadoff hitter Nick Martini had two doubles and two singles in his initial four at-bats, scoring in each of the first three. In all, seven of Las Vegas' nine hitters had multi-hit games, with third baseman Sheldon Neuse (3-for-4, walk, two runs, three RBI) and designated hitter Corban Joseph (3-for-5, 2 runs, RBI) chipping in three knocks apiece.
Oddly enough, while the final score was one-sided, the Reyes de Plata actually had to rally from a pair of early deficits. In the first inning, Round Rock (34-24) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after Yordan Alvarez smacked a three-run homer, an opposite-field shot that was the 21-year-old outfielder's 22^nd of the season and upped his RBI total to 68, both of which lead the Pacific Coast League.
After Las Vegas evened things up with three runs in the bottom of the first off right-hander Brandon Bielak (0-1), the Express surged ahead again with a run in the top of the second. That's when the Reyes de Plata put together a two-inning performance for the ages, sending 23 batters to the plate and scoring 15 runs on 14 hits.
To put the two-inning outburst into perspective, consider the following:
- By the end of the seven-run second inning, everyone in the Las Vegas lineup had at least one hit except for center fielder Dustin Fowler (who walked in each of his first two at-bats) and catcher Beau Taylor. In fact, four players already had two hits (Martini, Neuse, Barreto and Joseph).
- Also by the end of the second, everyone but Taylor and Jorge Mateo had scored at least one run (with Martini, Fowler and Seth Brown each scoring twice); five players had at least one RBI (led by Neuse and Eric Campbell with three apiece); and the team was 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
- By the end of the eight-run third inning, the Reyes de Plata were a combined 17-for-25 (including 10-for-17 with runners in scoring position) with four walks and eight extra-base hits; they had 11 two-out RBI (with Barreto accounting for four of those); their No. 8 and 9 hitters (Barreto and Joseph) were a combined 6-for-6 with six RBI; and they batted around twice, struck out only once, left just four runners on base and knocked out two pitchers.
Las Vegas scored its final run in the fourth inning, courtesy of - what else? - another two-out RBI by Barreto, this one a single that scored Campbell. By the time Joseph struck out to end the frame, the Reyes de Plata were a combined 20-for-32 and had a 19-4 lead.
Although the bats went silent from there - Las Vegas managed just two hits over the final four innings, while Round Rock plated five runs on three homers, a groundout and a sacrifice fly - this result was never in doubt. Just like every game when the Aviators morph into the Reyes de Plata at Las Vegas Ballpark.
GAME NOTES: Prior to Tuesday, Las Vegas' season high for runs was 12 (accomplished three times) and its previous high for hits was 18 (at Reno on May 27). … The eight runs in the third inning tied a season high, while the eight hits in the second topped the previous high of seven. … Although Barreto struck out in his final at bat, he's 10-for-13 over his last three contests, raising his average from .240 to .277. … Mateo extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his second-inning RBI single. He also added a ninth-inning double. … Aviators starting pitcher Tanner Anderson went 4 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out four. Relief pitcher Miguel Romero (2-0) took over and picked up the victory, allowing a run on one hit and two walks in 2 2/3 innings  … Prior to Tuesday's game, Aviators outfielder Tyler Ramirez was optioned to Double-A Midland (Texa) to clear roster space for outfielder Skye Bolt, who returned to Las Vegas after being optioned from the Oakland A's. … Parker Dunshee 1-2, 4.91 ERA) is scheduled to make his fifth start for the Aviators on Wednesday when he opposes fellow right-hander Akeem Bostick (3-2, 5.26) in the second game of the three-game series. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
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