A.J. for the Block: Closer Shuts Down Hillsboro, Cinches Win for Tri-City

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NWL Tri-City Dust Devils

A.J. for the Block: Closer Shuts Down Hillsboro, Cinches Win for Tri-City

May 16, 2025 - Northwest League (NWL)
Tri-City Dust Devils News Release


Tri-City Dust Devils pitcher A.J. Block
Tri-City Dust Devils pitcher A.J. Block
(Tri-City Dust Devils)

PASCO - It took six innings for the Tri-City Dust Devils (18-17) to grab a lead Thursday night but, once it was theirs, they did not relinquish it in a 4-3 win over the Hillsboro Hops (21-15) at Gesa Stadium that gave the Dust Devils a two games to one series lead.

Closer A.J. Block held the line for the final seven outs, preserving both the lead and the win for Tri-City by striking out a pair and helping to erase the only hit he gave up by inducing a double play in the top of the 9th inning. The Bellevue, Washington native and Washington State Cougar alum grabbed his eighth consecutive save by finishing the victory, putting him in a tie with Spokane closer Welinton Herrera for the longest active such streak in Minor League Baseball. The Dust Devils scored twice in the bottom of the 2nd to tie the game, drawing three walks to load the bases and then getting the aid of a balk and a wild pitch to even things at 2-2. The big hit for the home nine came in the bottom of the 6th after 3B Arol Vera singled and both pinch-hitter Randy De Jesus and C Peter Burns walked. 2B Adrian Placencia grounded a pitch from Hops reliever Liam Norris (1-1) through the right side, scoring Vera and De Jesus to turn a 3-2 deficit to the final 4-3 margin. Reliever Sam Ryan (1-0) went 1.1 innings for the win, part of a pitching effort that struck out eight while allowing only one walk.

DUST DEVILS NOTES

- Los Angeles Angels 2024 2nd round compensatory pick Ryan Johnson made his starting and MiLB debut for Tri-City, giving up two runs on four hits with a strikeout in a no-decision. Johnson began the season as a member of the Angels bullpen after a great spring training performance but now will build up to become a full member of the starting rotation.

-Hillsboro, despite the loss, holds an impressive 10-3 record in one-run games in 2025. All three one-run losses have come at the hands of the Dust Devils.

-The baseballers of Pasco, Kennewick and Richland drew ten walks in the game, leaving ten runners on-base even though they managed just four hits in the game. The Hops, meanwhile, had 11 hits but left eight men on.

SCHOOL'S OUT...TO THE BALLGAME

Tri-City and Hillsboro duel in game four of their six-game series at 6:30 p.m. Friday night at Gesa Stadium. Local students, teachers and families will be out at the park for School Night, presented by Pahlisch Homes. It's also a Family Feast Night, with selected lower-priced concessions available throughout the ballgame.

Broadcast coverage, available for free with video in the MiLB Zone of Bally Sports Live and audio-only at dustdevilsbaseball.com and the MiLB app, begins with the Dust Devils Pregame Show at 6:10 p.m. In an adjustment to the rotation made Thursday right-hander Austin Gordon (2-2, 8.26 ERA) will get the Friday night start for the Dust Devils, opposed by right-hander John West (2-1, 5.13 ERA) of the Hops.

For tickets to the weekend's games against Hillsboro and for all 2025 Dust Devils home games, visit the official ticket site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.

Check out the Tri-City Dust Devils Statistics




Images from this story

Tri-City Dust Devils pitcher A.J. Block
Tri-City Dust Devils pitcher A.J. Block
   



Northwest League Stories from May 16, 2025


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