AVIATORS TOP 5 OF THE WEEK

1.

Eight is enough: Complete games in minor league baseball are even more scarce than they are in the majors. But well-traveled veteran Jared Koenig came close in Friday night’s 5-2 win over the Salt Lake Bees at Las Vegas Ballpark. The Aviators’ 28-yearold left-hander threw 99 pitches, struck out out 10 and allowed three hits in eight innings.

2.

Highs and lows: Parker Dunshee was named Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for May 2-8, after allowing one hit in six innings in defeating Sacramento 5-0. The righthander and former three-sport high school standout (baseball, football, basketball) got hit hard in his next start Wednesday, yielding seven runs in four innings in a 10-3 loss to Salt Lake. But, as they say, that’s baseball.

3.

Ring-a-ding-ding: Aviators catcher and top prospect Shea Langeliers received 2021 championship rings from the Double-A Mississippi Braves and major league’s Atlanta Braves during a ceremony at home plate Thursday night. Langeliers hit 22 homers for Mississippi last season. And though he didn’t play for the Atlanta Braves before being traded to the A’s, he was a two-time invitee to big league training camp.

4.

Birthday scratch: Finn the Bat Dog is getting so popular that the Aviators’ canine fan favorite received a 10th birthday greeting on Minor League Baseball’s official website this week. “We hope you get extra ear scratches,” it said.

5.

Seeing is (almost) believing: Tony Kemp went 5-for-8 during Big League Weekend at Las Vegas Ballpark in 2020. But that was nothing compared to the catch he made — and his reaction to it — for the parent A’s against the Tigers on Tuesday. Ron Kantowski Review-Journal

Las Vegas Aviators Left-hander Jared Koenig dazzled on Friday night, striking out 10 Salt Lake Bees over eight innings, allowing three hits as the Aviators won, 5-2.