Payton’s power gives charge to Aviators in win

Mark Payton homered three times and drove in five runs as the Las Vegas Aviators beat the Salt Lake Bees 13-9 in a Pacific Coast League game before 9,340 fans Saturday night at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Payton bopped two-run homers in the second and fifth innings and added a solo shot in the eighth to give him 13 on the season.

Sheldon Neuse added a bases-empty blast in the third, his 17th, and Corban Joseph hit a three-run shot in the eighth, his 10th, for the Aviators (53-40). Joseph finished with four RBIs.

Kyle Finnegan, in relief of starter Tyler Alexander, pitched 1⅔ innings for his first win of the season. Finnegan yielded one hit and struck out three.

Ben Bracewell recorded his second save with 1⅓ innings of work.

Starter Jaime Barria (3-2) took the loss for the Bees (40-52).

Taylor Ward had three hits for Salt Lake, including his 20th home run, a solo shot in the third.

Jared Walsh also had three hits for the Bees, while Kaleb Cowart had a bases-empty homer in the fourth, his fifth of the season.

The Aviators outhit the Bees 16-15.

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