Aviators’ hot starter Morris opens PCL title series vs. Dodgers affiliate

By Justin Lafferty Special to the Review-Journal September 21, 2026 - 3:16 pm The Las Vegas Aviators turned to right‑hander Kade Morris to launch the Pacific Coast League championship series, hoping his recent stretch of success will mirror last year’s postseason performance. Manager Fran Riordan announced Morris as the starter for Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Comets, the Los Angeles Dodgers Triple‑A affiliate, scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Las Vegas Ballpark. Riordan praised Morris, saying, “Kade does person the acquisition of winning a crippled successful the championship,” Riordan said. “His numbers person been truly good, particularly the past fewer starts, and he’s built up to spell heavy successful the game, truthful it was a earthy choice.” The Aviators clinched a playoff spot by capturing the first‑half PCL title in June, finishing the regular season with an 87‑61 record. They will face the Comets, who posted an 89‑60 mark and won the second half, for a chance to advance to the Triple‑A Championship, set for Saturday at the same venue. Morris, ranked No. 13 among Athletics prospects by MLB Pipeline, concluded the year with back‑to‑back quality starts, posting a 9‑5 record and a 4.08 ERA. In last year’s PCL playoffs he silenced the Tacoma Rainiers in the opening game, allowing four hits and one run over seven innings. Las Vegas went on to win Game 2 and claim the PCL title before