Ryan Lasko didn’t play with the Aviators in the first half of the season, when the team won the Pacific Coast League first-half title.

But the No. 9 hitter came up with a big swing Tuesday to help Las Vegas get one step closer to a PCL championship.

Lasko hit a 412-foot two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie in Game 1 of the Aviators’ best-of-three PCL championship series at Las Vegas Ballpark. His team went on to beat the second-half champion Tacoma Rainiers 7-1.

Game 2 is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Wednesday at Las Vegas Ballpark. The Aviators will advance to Saturday’s Triple-A championship game at Las Vegas Ballpark against the International League champion with a win.

Las Vegas is expected to send right-hander Aaron Brooks (3-6, 5.78 ERA) to the moun

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