SOUTH JORDAN, UT. - Ben Gobbel collected three hits and drove home four runs, including a three-run homer, but Salt Lake couldn't overcome an early four-run deficit in a 10-6 loss to Las Vegas on Sunday. The Bees trimmed the lead to three midway through the game before the Aviators pulled away to win the series.
Las Vegas 10, Salt Lake 6
WP: CD Pelham (1-0)
LP: Alek Manoah (1-4)
Key Performers
Ben Gobbel: 3-3, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB
Arol Vera: 2-4, R, 2B, K
Kyren Paris: 2-5, 2B, K
Game Summary
Following a low-scoring performance on Saturday, Las Vegas brought their bats to start Sunday’s contest. The Aviators quickly threatened as Drew Swift opened with a deep double, followed by a hit batsman and a walk that loaded the bases. While an infield popout offered Salt Lake a chance to escape, Jared Dickey drove in the game’s first run on a force out. Immediately after, former Bee Chad Wallach connected on the first pitch, sending a triple between the shortstop and left fielder to empty the bases and secure a three-run lead for Las Vegas in the opening frame.
In the home half of the first, Salt Lake generated a two-out threat but ultimately left runners stranded after a single and a walk. Las Vegas maintained their momentum in the following frame, padding their lead to four runs courtesy of a run-scoring double.
The Bees went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the second. After a groundout to open the top of the third, Wallach hit a towering 46 degree launch angle into the bullpen seats beyond the left field wall to push the lead to five. Another walk reached home after a ringing double over Nelson Rada’s head in centerfield tacked on another.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Bees finally broke through after singles from Ben Gobbel and Arol Vera set the stage. With two outs, Jeimer Candelario delivered a clutch triple down the right-field line—his third of the season—to drive in both runners and give Salt Lake their first two runs of the game.
However, the momentum shifted back to the visitors in the top of the fourth. Defensive struggles and a costly series of walks, including one with the bases loaded, allowed Las Vegas to plate two more runs and push their lead to 8-2.
Two straight singles by Rada and Yolmer Sánchez opened the fifth inning for the Bees. Gobbel crushed his third hit of the game, a moonshot three-run homer over the visitors bullpen in left to get the Bees within a trio of runs.
Las Vegas added to their total in the sixth inning, extending their lead to nine after an RBI single. However, Salt Lake kept pace in the bottom half of the inning, narrowing the deficit to 9-6 behind a sacrifice fly from Gobbel.
Las Vegas maintained their offensive pressure by adding a run for the second consecutive inning, capitalizing on two singles and a passed ball to reach double digits. Salt Lake remained unable to answer in the bottom half, trailing 10-6 as the game moved into the eighth.
In the ninth inning, the visitors recorded consecutive scoreless frames for the first time all night. After a quiet eighth, Kaleb Ort tossed a scoreless top half to keep the deficit at four. Salt Lake managed to load the bases in their final turn at-bat, but the late surge fell short. With the loss, the Bees dropped their final home series leading into the All-Star Break.
Game Notes
- Tonight’s defeat sealed the first series loss at home this season for the Bees and first since September 9-14, 2025 vs. Tacoma. Salt Lake has dropped just five of their 21 total sets inside The Ballpark at America First Square (Apr. 22-27, 2025 vs. OKC; May 6-11, 2025 vs. SUG; July 4-6, 2025 vs. TAC; Sept. 9-14, 2025 vs. TAC; June 30-July 5, 2025 vs. LV). Prior to this week’s six-game set, the Bees had three series wins and four series splits at home in 2026. Additionally, the Aviators claimed the season series with a 10-5 showing versus the Bees (LV was 6-3 at home, 4-2 on the road).
- With a game time of three hours, 20 minutes, tonight marked the 32nd game over three hours long in the Bees’ 2026 campaign. This season, Salt Lake is 18-14 in those contests, with a 8-8 record at home and 10-6 on the road. The Bees have lost three of their last four home games that have lasted at least three hours long, including both in this week’s six-game set against Las Vegas.
- Salt Lake’s first hit of the game, a single by Ben Gobbel moved his hit streak to 14 games, blooping one into center field. The knock ensured the infielder reached in every game as a Bee in 2026 (23 total). Across three levels of play this season, the infielder holds a 28-game on-base streak, dating back to May 30. In his second at-bat, he nabbed another single making it three straight games with multiple hits. Gobbel’s next at-bat saw him crush a three-run homer over the visitor’s bullpen to get Salt Lake within three runs. It was his fifth long-ball of the year, fourth in his last five games and has a homer in three straight contests. Gobbel finished the series batting .435 (8-for-23) while leading the PCL this week with four home runs, 12 RBI and eight runs scored.
- Jeimer Candelario recorded his 755th professional walk with two outs in the first inning. The veteran has now reached base in back to back days, following a three-hit performance in last night’s game. Candelario found more success in his second at-bat, tripling for the third time this season. He drove home two on the two-out triple, his first RBI in five games.
- To leadoff the bottom of the third inning, Arol Vera extended his hit streak to three games with a single. The three-game streak is his career high at the Triple-A level. It’s the longest stretch since August 22-27 as a member of Rocket City. Vera doubled in his sixth at-bat, his second two-bagger of the season.
- Ryan Nicholson walked in his second at-bat. The first baseman pushed his on-base streak to seven games on the free pass. He added another base-on-balls later, collecting his first career Triple-A game with multiple walks.
- Nelson Rada, 20, kickstarted the fifth inning with a leadoff single during his third trip to the plate. The hit extended his current hitting streak to two games and his on-base streak to three. Rada scored in the fifth on Gobbel’s three-run blast, making it three straight games with a run scored.
- To spark the bottom of the fifth, Yolmer Sánchez, with the second of two consecutive singles, marking his 65th hit of the season. This performance extends his hitting streak to three games and leaves him just one game away from matching his season-high on-base streak of 16 games.
- Omar Martinez has reached in back-to-back games as he walked in his third at-bat. He later singled to collect hits in consecutive contests.
- To lead off the sixth inning, Zach Humphreys worked a walk. Tonight’s designated hitter has reached base safely in three straight games as well as scored at least once in each of those three games.
- Kyren Paris sealed the fact that all Bees players reached base at least one time. Tonight’s left fielder lined a single up the middle for a base hit. He’s reached base in back-to-back games and started a new hit streak with the knock. He notched his first multi-hit game as a Bee this year, sneaking a double down the left field line in the ninth.
- Following three straight outings of getting up runs, Justin Dunn recorded his first scoreless outing since June 24 in Albuquerque. He struck out three and walked three in 1.2 innings. Since June 10, Dunn has fired 15 innings of work with a 3.60 ERA in nine total appearances.
- Huascar Ynoa delivered one inning of relief, marking his second consecutive appearance without allowing an earned run. This is his first such stretch since late April, when he posted back-to-back scoreless outings against Las Vegas and Sacramento on April 26 and 29. Ynoa has been solid in his last 10 innings of work, allowing two earned runs in a four-outing span to tally a 1.80 ERA.
- During his two-inning appearance, Rob Kaminsky matched his season best by recording three strikeouts. This marked his first three-strikeout performance since a June 16 matchup against Tacoma. Three of the southpaw’s last four appearances have been at least two innings in length (exception: one-inning save, June 27 at ABQ).
- Kaleb Ort pushed his scoreless streak to eight consecutive games. Over his last 8.1 innings of work, he has not surrendered a run, a streak he maintained tonight by striking out one and yielding just one hit in his single inning of relief. Ort holds a 2-0 record with two saves and 12 punchouts during the streak.
Up Next
Salt Lake enjoys a travel day before heading to Sacramento for their inaugural series of the season in the Golden State. This matchup marks the third time the Bees and River Cats have met this year, with the series opener scheduled for 7:45 p.m. MDT in Sutter Health Park.