LAS VEGAS (Interstat) — Landon Knack struck out eight over 6 1/3 innings, and the Oklahoma City Comets beat the Las Vegas Aviators 7-2 on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Game 2 of a Pacific Coast League (AAA) playoff series at Cashman Field. The Comets, the visiting team, finished with 12 hits while limiting the Aviators to six. The game lasted 2 hours, 40 minutes and drew 5,307. Oklahoma City improved to 88-60, and Las Vegas dropped to 87-60. The series status after the game was Las Vegas leading 1-0.

The first two innings were quiet. Oklahoma City went down in order in the first when Ehrhard lined out to left, De Paula grounded out and Tibbs grounded out. Las Vegas also retired in order in the first. In the second, Sirota singled but was erased on a double play. The Aviators got a two-out single from Bryan Lavastida in the second, but Luke Mann struck out. Oklahoma City finally broke through in the third. Noah Miller doubled and Hyeseong Kim singled before Zach Ehrhard lined a two-run double to center field. De Paula walked, but Tibbs popped out and Sirota flew out. Knack retired Las Vegas in order in the third and worked around a Joey Meneses double in the fourth.

Oklahoma City added to its lead in the fourth when Alek Thomas singled and Hyeseong Kim doubled him home. The Comets then broke the game open in the fifth. Ehrhard walked, De Paula walked, and James Tibbs III launched a three-run home run to center. Sirota and Thomas followed with singles, but Ryan Fitzgerald struck out, Miller flew out and Kim struck out to end the inning. Ehrhard finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Tibbs went 1-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs. Thomas and Sirota each had multiple hits as part of Oklahoma City’s 12-hit attack.

Knack was the top star for Oklahoma City. The right-hander allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out eight. He departed after 6 1/3 innings with the Comets in control. Garrett McDaniels recorded two outs in relief, and Seth Halvorsen followed with a hitless inning, walking one and striking out two. Oklahoma City’s bullpen protected the lead until the late stages, keeping Las Vegas from mounting a sustained rally.

Las Vegas struggled to solve Oklahoma City pitching. Joey Meneses provided the Aviators’ biggest swing, going 2-for-4 with a home run and one RBI. Brayan Buelvas doubled in a run, and Johnathan Rodriguez also doubled. Ryan Magdic took the loss after allowing three earned runs over 3 2/3 innings, with six hits, one walk and one strikeout. Jake Garland pitched two innings and allowed one earned run. Wander Suero tossed two hitless innings with two strikeouts, and Hunter Bigge worked a scoreless inning with one walk and one strikeout.

The Aviators scored in the sixth when Darell Hernaiz singled and Buelvas doubled him home. Meneses homered in the ninth to cap the scoring. Oklahoma City had answered in the eighth on Fitzgerald’s solo homer to right. Ryan Fitzgerald, Noah Miller and Hyeseong Kim combined on several ground-ball outs, while catcher Chadwick Tromp handled the pitching staff. Las Vegas had chances, including Meneses’s double in the fourth and Rodriguez’s double in the seventh, but could not string together hits. The victory followed an 11-13 loss to Las Vegas on Tuesday, Sept. 22. Oklahoma City had won four of its previous seven games before Wednesday. Las Vegas had won three of its last five entering the playoff matchup.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Oklahoma City 8, Las Vegas 7. Interstat’s ELO system gave Oklahoma City a 53.4 percent probability to win. The teams are scheduled to meet again Thursday, Sept. 24, at Las Vegas.