SOUTH JORDAN, UT. - Salt Lake could not erase a 6-0 lead in Tuesday’s series opener, dropping game one to Las Vegas 10-6 at home. The Bees struck out 20 times tonight, setting a new franchise record for a nine-inning contest.
Las Vegas 10, Salt Lake 6
WP: Nick Hernandez (3-1)
LP: Alek Manoah (1-3)
SV: Wander Suero (3)
Key Performers
Omar Martinez: 3-3, R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB
Logan Porter: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 K
Ben Gobbel: 1-4, 2 R, BB, 2 K
Houston Harding: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K
Game Summary
The Aviators used a lone hit, two walks, two hit-by-pitches and a sacrifice fly to take an early 3-0 lead to start Tuesday’s series opener. Alek Manoah tallied his 100th career Triple-A strikeout to start the second inning, but Las Vegas stretched their advantage. A walk and single ahead of Cade Marlowe’s seventh homer of the season made it 6-0.
Three straight Bees reached with one out in the second, loading the bases. Bryce Teodosio and Logan Porter combined for back-to-back RBI knocks, with a run-scoring single and two-run double respectively. Porter’s extra-base hit nearly left the yard, but cut the deficit in half at 6-3.
The scoring rolled into the third, seeing Salt Lake capitalized with two outs. Omar Martinez closed the gap to 6-5 on his two-run double just inside the right field line.
Both bullpens went to work, posting zeros to keep the score at 6-5. Houston Harding led the charge with 2.2 innings with two strikeouts.
Las Vegas and Salt Lake each traded a run in the sixth, with Rada’s sacrifice fly getting the margin back to one at 7-6. The Bees looked primed for a big inning after the one run, but a flyout stranded the bases loaded. Tayler Saucedo returned the favor in the seventh, leaving the bases full of Aviators to tally a clean sheet of an outing.
The visitors searched for insurance in the eighth, nearly getting it on a double. Christian Moore earned his first career outfield assist that resulted in a relay to home for the second out. Las Vegas finally found insurance, one batter later, on a soft single into left field for an 8-6 score.
With two outs in the ninth, the Aviators grew their lead. A two-run single from Cade Marlowe, his fourth and fifth RBI of the night, ballooned the advantage to 10-6. The Bees went quietly into the South Jordan night in the bottom half, ending the evening on their 20th strikeout.
Game Notes
- Tonight’s three-hour, 33 minute contest marked the longest nine-inning game of the season by three minutes (April 1 vs. Sacramento).
- Salt Lake allowed double-digit runs for the second straight games moving to 16-28 when allowing 10 or more hits.
- After winning four straight series openers at home, Salt Lake dropped its first Tuesday home game since April 28 vs. Sacramento. Salt Lake is 9-5 overall on Tuesday’s and 6-2 at The Ballpark at America First Square.
- Salt Lake struck out 20 times tonight, the most in a nine-inning game in franchise history. It also marked the most punchouts recorded by Las Vegas pitching in 2026. The 20 strikeouts are the most by a PCL squad this season and most since April 3, 2025 when Oklahoma City punched out 21 times.
- Nelson Rada has hits in six straight games, one shy of his season high (seven games, May 13-21). The 20-year old was caught trying to steal second base for the first time since June 10. He was 5-for-5 in that stretch prior to being caught tonight.
- Salt Lake’s starter, Alek Manoah struck out his 100th batter at the Triple-A level. The right-hander reached the milestone to start the second inning, punching out the nine-hole hitter Colby Halter. He recorded 1.1 innings with two strikeouts.
- A second-inning single pushed Ben Gobbel’s hit streak to eight games as well as ensuring he reached in every game as a Salt Lake Bee in 2026 (17 total). Across three levels of play this season, the infielder holds a 22-game on-base streak, dating back to May 30. His base hit came with the bases empty, moving his average to .394 (13-for-33) in that category. Gobbel drew a walk, his eighth in his Salt Lake career. All eight free passes have come this season with the Bees.
- Yolmer Sánchez extended his on-base streak to 11 games on a seven-pitch walk. He added a second walk later in the game, his eighth of the season. Sánchez has reached on a walk in four straight games, tied for his season high (May 24-28). He scored on a sacrifice fly, marking his third straight contest with a run scored.
- Omar Martinez moved his on-base streak to seven games, tying his season high (May 26-June 4). Tonight’s designated hitter ended an 0-for-5 hit drought with a two-run double. Martinez finished with five extra-base hits (two doubles, three homers) in June, his most in a single month this season. The Venezuelan finished 3-for-3 on Tuesday with two doubles, his second multi-hit effort in his last four games. Martinez had multiple doubles in a game for the second time in 2026 (May 5 at Oklahoma City); he had only accomplished this feat twice in his previous seven seasons combined. It was his first three hit effort since April 19 against Sugar Land.
- A RBI single continued Bryce Teodosio’s season-long hit streak to six games. He has two RBI across his last three games.
- Logan Porter crushed his third double as a Bee, nearly missing a homer to the opposite field. The two-bagger cut the visitor’s lead in half, scoring two with the bases loaded. He has hits in three of his last four games, and a five-game on-base streak.
- Jeimer Candelario has a hit in three straight contests and five of his last six games. He also scored tonight, doing so in consecutive games.
- Houston Harding has not allowed a run in his last 8.1 innings of work, his longest career scoreless streak. Tonight’s 2.2 shutout innings of work ties his career best at the Triple-A level, accomplished in his previous outing on June 26 at Albuquerque. Harding’s streak is the third longest by a Salt Lake Bee this season, behind Jared Southard’s 12.1 innings and Samy Natera Jr.’s 9.2 innings.
- Tayler Saucedo’s scoreless seventh inning of work marked consecutive shutout performances for the southpaw.
- Sammy Peralta made his first appearance inside The Ballpark at America First Square since last September 7th, when he earned a win and a quality start with seven innings of work and three runs allowed. Peralta allowed a run over 0.2 innings tonight, yielding the score on three hits.
- Jared Southard snapped his 12.1 inning scoreless streak with two runs given up in 1.1 innings of work. His streak spanned across nine games, leading all Bees pitchers on the year.
Up Next
The Utah Dirty Sodas will take the field in South Jordan on Wednesday, set to square off against the Aviators at 6:35 p.m. MDT.