When the Las Vegas Aviators won last year’s Pacific Coast League Championship Series, it was their first such title since 1988. They’ll have to wait one more night for the chance to repeat.
Las Vegas couldn’t muster much of a threat on Wednesday night against Oklahoma City Comets pitcher Landon Knack in a 7-2 loss with 5,307 in attendance at Las Vegas Ballpark. The Comets tied the best-of-three series, forcing a winner-take-all game Thursday night.
“You gotta tip your cap when their starting pitcher shuts you down, but we’ve been resilient all year,” Aviators manager Fran Riordan said. “Once the game’s over, we wash it, and come back the next day with a lot of energy, and come back tomorrow to fight for the PCL ring.”
Knack was stingy from the start, giving up five hits, one run and no walks over 6 1/3 innings for the win, striking out eight. Ryan Magdic took the loss after allowing three runs (all earned) on six hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Las Vegas center fielder Brayan Buelvas finished 1-for-3 with an RBI. First baseman Joey Meneses went 2-for-4 with a home run.
Magdic started with two scoreless innings, then ran into trouble in the third. Comets right fielder Zach Ehrhard lined a 2-RBI double into the left-center gap, giving Oklahoma City a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Magdic needed 32 pitches to get through that inning, which included a four-pitch walk (a rarity for the accurate lefty) to left fielder Josue De Paula.
After giving up a run-scoring double to Kim in the fourth that landed just beyond the reach of right fielder Johnathan Rodríguez, Magdic gave way to reliever Nathan Dettmer with the Aviators trailing 3-0.
The Comets added three more in the fifth inning on a James Tibbs III homer that landed just beyond the Las Vegas Ballpark pool behind the centerfield fence.
Las Vegas finally broke through against Knack in the sixth inning. Buelvas broke the shutout by smacking a double to left, scoring shortstop Darell Hernaiz.
Oklahoma City third baseman Ryan Fitzgerald added a solo shot in the eighth. Meneses then launched a 414-foot homer in the ninth inning, cutting the deficit to 7-2.
With a PCL title (and a Triple-A National Championship Game spot) on the line, Las Vegas will open with lefty James Gonzalez in a bullpen game at 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Las Vegas Ballpark.
