Brayan Buelvas kept swinging a hot bat, and Friday night in Las Vegas turned into another showcase for the Aviators’ right fielder.
Buelvas launched solo homers in the second and fourth innings, then added a walk and a run scored in the eighth as Las Vegas piled up 10 runs. The 24-year-old Colombian outfielder has now gone 10 for 20 with five extra-base hits and eight RBIs over his last five games.
Michael Stefanic also did damage, going 3 for 4 with a home run, a double and three RBIs, while Bryan Lavastida added a three-run blast. Jared Dickey chipped in with a single, two walks and a run scored.
The only thing that didn’t go Las Vegas’ way was the start from Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang, who was tagged for eight runs in 4 1/3 innings in the loss.
In the Texas League, Leo De Vries put on the loudest performance of the night for Midland even in a 8-7 loss to San Antonio. De Vries finished 3 for 5 with a home run, two doubles and four RBIs.
Bobby Boser drew two walks and scored, while Cole Conn also reached twice via walks. Henry Baez took the loss after allowing five hits and three earned runs in four innings, with Diego Barrera and A.J.
Causey working out of the bullpen.
High-A Lake County got the better of Lansing, 6-4, despite a strong all-around night from Myles Naylor. He went 2 for 3 with a home run, a triple, a walk, a stolen base and two RBIs.
Pedro Pineda also homered and drove in two, and Ali Camarillo added two hits, a double, a walk, a steal and a run. Nathan Dettmer was charged with the loss after giving up five earned runs in four innings.
Fresno handled Stockton 9-2 in the California League. Cesar Gonzalez and Ramon Landaeta each had two hits for Stockton, and Michael Brooks added a hit, a walk and a run. Corey Braun took the loss, while Jackson Nove and Wilfred Alvarado followed on the mound.
In the Arizona Complex League, the ACL A’s beat the ACL Brewers 6-1. Jesus Fernandez led the way with three hits, two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Judah Morris reached twice on walks and drove in a run, and Jeison Lopez added two hits, a stolen base, an RBI and a run. Manuel Perez threw three scoreless innings, Oliver Sirotti earned the win, and Richard Fernandez finished it off with 2.1 innings and the save.
Saturday’s slate includes Tacoma at Las Vegas, San Antonio at Midland, Lansing at Lake County, Fresno at Stockton and ACL Cubs at ACL A’s.
In Other News...
Injuries Cant Hide Whats Really Sunk The As Season
The Athletics reached the All-Star break at 41-55, and the reasons for the slide go well beyond the usual midseason injury excuses. Yes, the club has spent stretches without important pieces, but the deeper problem has been an offense that never found enough consistency to support the rest of the roster, especially away from home.
Oaklands road struggles have been so severe that they have become the defining feature of the season, and they have left Mark Kotsay and his staff searching for answers they have not found. Even in a division where other clubs have hovered around .500, the As have fallen behind in a way that suggests the issue is bigger than who is or is not available on a given night. [Read more 🡒]
A's Make A Pitching Shakeup Fans Saw Coming
The Athletics moved on from pitching coach Scott Emerson after a season in which the staff never found much stability, a decision that had been building for weeks as the clubs run prevention continued to unravel. Oaklands pitching issues have been impossible to ignore, with the staff sitting last in the American League in ERA and the rotation repeatedly unable to give the team consistent innings or dependable results.
Dan Hubbs will take over as interim pitching coach for the rest of the 2026 season, giving the As a new voice in a department that has been under pressure from the start. Emersons exit ends a long run in the organization that stretched back to 2003 and included time as the major league pitching coach since 2017, but the larger question now is whether a change on the staff can help a group that has spent most of the year chasing answers. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Rumors Hint Another A's Veteran Could Be Trade Bait
The Yankees search for a right-handed bat behind the plate has put a few familiar names into the deadline mix, and Jonah Heim is one of the catchers drawing attention. A former All-Star and Gold Glove winner, Heim still carries the kind of defensive reputation that tends to travel well in July, especially for a contender trying to stabilize a position that has become a concern.
For Oakland, the wrinkle is that Heim has not been getting the same steady catching workload he once did. Shea Langeliers breakout has pushed him more toward first base or designated hitter duties, which gives the As a veteran with some flexibility but also makes him a player other clubs can picture in a different role. If the market keeps heating up, that kind of profile is the sort of thing that can turn a useful piece into a trade conversation. [Read more 🡒]