Bees Swarm Aviators, Take First Two Games in Las Vegas

The Salt Lake Bees took care of business on Saturday night at Las Vegas Ballpark, defeating the Aviators by a score of 10-5 to mark back-to-back wins following the All-Star break.

Jake Marisnick recorded a multi-homer game for the fifth time in his 15-season career, including turning on the first pitch of the game over the fences in left field. The last time Marisnick sent multiple home runs in a game was on June 20, 2019, as the Astros took on the Yankees in the Bronx, N.Y. The Bees outfielder led the team with a four-hit performance while Jordyn Adams racked up three hits and Jason Martin notched a pair.

Jake is making us do a double take with his second home run of the game! 👀 pic.twitter.com/ttnvgmddtp

— Salt Lake Bees (@SaltLakeBees) July 21, 2024

Davis Daniel (W, 7-4) got the nod in the start for the Bees and twirled an absolute gem on the bump. The Salt Lake starter totaled seven complete innings with nine punchouts while allowing one run on four hits as the lone run came as a solo home run in the second inning. It’s a new season-high number of strikeouts for Davis, sitting down at least one Aviators’ hitter via the strikeout in six of the seven frames. Two of the four hits allowed called for extra bases as Armando Alvarez’s big fly was the only hit that preceded runs being scored for Las Vegas. Daniel exited after the seventh inning and handed the ball over to Tyler Thomas, who loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single before Kenyon Yovan entered out of the bullpen. Yovan allowed for all three of Thomas’ runs to score before allowing one himself through one inning of work. Luis Ledo finished the game off in the ninth inning after walking the first batter he saw, inducing a 4-6-3 double play to seal the victory. Paul Blackburn (L, 1-1) was ticketed with the loss for Las Vegas, allowing seven runs to score in the first three innings. The Aviators used four arms out of the bullpen, giving up three runs.

The Bees were quick to jump on Blackburn as Marisnick sent the first pitch of the game 411-feet to left field, marking his fifth home run of the season and putting the Bees in front. Cole Tucker kept the bats rolling into the second inning, starting the frame off with a double and later scoring after Jack Lopez laid down a bunt with Blackburn making an errant throw over to first that got away from first baseman Alvarez. With Lopez advancing to second on the error, Marisnick lined a double to center field to stretch the Salt Lake lead to three runs while racing over to third base on the throw. Michael Stefanic capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to center field, driving in Marisnick. Alvarez got Las Vegas on the board in the home half of the second inning with his ninth home run of the season. Four straight Bees reached to start the third inning as Adams walked before Adams put two runners in scoring position with a double to left field, setting up Bryce Teodosio to rocket a single into left field, scoring two runs and giving Salt Lake a 6-1 advantage. Tucker reached on an infield single in the ensuing at-bat to put runners on the corners, allowing for Lopez to punch a sacrifice fly into right field. The Bees continued to add on in the fifth inning as Adams tripled to lead off the inning and crossed home on a wild pitch in the next at-bat. Marisnick struck again in the sixth inning, launching a 416-foot solo home run to center field and giving the Bees their largest lead, 9-1. The Aviators started to creep back into the game with a four-run eighth inning after Quincy Nieporte drew a bases-loaded walk and Nick Allen plated a pair with a single into right field. Max Muncy cut the deficit to four runs with a single through the middle of the infield, scoring Nieporte. The Bees added another run in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach.

The Bees and the Aviators will face off tomorrow at Las Vegas Ballpark for the finale of the three-game series with Salt Lake looking to complete the sweep. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. MT as right-hander Zach Plesac will make the start for the Bees while J.T. Ginn is scheduled to start for the Aviators.