Aviators Pilot Way to 8-2 Win Against OKC

Las Vegas Aviators — 8

OKC Dodgers — 2

Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021 – Las Vegas Ballpark — Las Vegas, Nev.

Game Summary: After scoring a combined 30 runs over the first three games of the series, the Oklahoma City Dodgers were held to two runs Sunday afternoon in an 8-2 loss to the Las Vegas Aviators at Las Vegas Ballpark, snapping OKC’s four-game winning streak. The Aviators’ first five runs of the day came via three homers, including solo homers by Marty Bechina in the second inning and Collin Theroux in the third inning for a 2-0 lead. The Dodgers (64-59) got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning. Zach McKinstry hit a fly ball to left field for a double to lead off the inning. He advanced to third base on a wild pitch, then beat a tag at the plate on a sacrifice fly by Cristian Santana to score and cut Las Vegas’ lead to 2-1. A three-run homer by Carlos Pérez boosted Las Vegas to a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning with his Triple-A West-leading 31st homer of the season. The Dodgers added a run when Elliot Soto hit into a fielder’s choice and Andy Burns scored from third base in the seventh inning. The Aviators (63-61) then scored a run in the seventh inning and two more runs in the eighth inning all on sacrifice flies for an 8-2 win.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers’ four-game winning streak came to an end Sunday afternoon as OKC lost for just the second time in the last seven games. Sunday also marked just the second road loss for OKC in the last 10 away games. Entering Sunday, the Dodgers had a season-high road winning streak of five games. With one road game remaining this season, the Dodgers own Triple-A West’s second-best road record at 37-27, and are 35-18 in their last 53 road games. Reno leads the league with a 40-24 road record.

-Zach McKinstry recorded the Dodgers’ lone extra-base hit Sunday afternoon with a double. He also drew a walk and scored OKC’s first run of the day. He has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games, going 12-for-41 with four homers, four doubles, eight RBI and 10 runs scored.

-Sheldon Neuse tallied two of OKC’s six total hits, going 2-for-4. He is batting .333 in September, going 22-for-66 during the month with three doubles, three triples, three homers, 16 RBI and 15 runs scored in 16 games.

-OKC was held to two runs and six hits Sunday, marking just the third time this month (22 games) OKC was held to two runs or less and the sixth time they have tallied fewer than seven hits. It was the first time OKC has scored fewer than four runs and recorded fewer than eight hits in a road game since Aug. 24. Following an 8-1 loss in Sugar Land Aug. 24 in which they were held to three hits, the Dodgers had scored at least four runs and compiled at least eight hits in nine straight road games, including four road games with 11 or more runs scored and five road games with at least 13 hits by OKC…The Dodgers outscored Las Vegas, 30-11, through the first three games of the current series and outhit the Aviators, 39-31, before being outhit, 9-6, Sunday.

-Drew Avans has hit safely in four straight games matching his season-high hitting streak. He is 6-for-15 so far in Las Vegas with two doubles, a triple, two RBI and six runs scored.

-Sunday was the Dodgers’ fourth game of the Triple-A Final Stretch as they fell to 3-1. All 30 Triple-A teams are playing five road and five home games during the new postseason tournament format. A single 2021 Triple-A Final Stretch winner will then be crowned based on the highest overall winning percentage among all 30 teams during the final 10 games.

What’s Next: The Dodgers play their final road game of the season and continue the Triple-A Final Stretch with a 9:05 p.m. CT game Monday against the Las Vegas Aviators at Las Vegas Ballpark. Live radio coverage of each OKC Dodgers game begins 15 minutes before first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com and through the free iHeartRadio or MiLB First Pitch apps. All OKC Dodgers games are also available streamed live on MiLB.TV with a subscription.