All About the Ryans: Tri-City's Costeiu, Johnson Shut out Spokane
Published on August 30, 2025 under Northwest League (NWL)
Tri-City Dust Devils News Release
Tri-City Dust Devils' Ryan Costeiu and Ryan Johnson
(Tri-City Dust Devils)
SPOKANE VALLEY - A pair of pitching Ryans, right-handers Ryan Costeiu and Ryan Johnson, combined to throw a four-hit shutout for the Tri-City Dust Devils (27-31 2H, 57-67) Friday night, getting enough run support for a 3-0 win over the Spokane Indians (29-29 2H, 58-66) at Avista Stadium that got the visitors in the win column for the first time this week.
Johnson got things started in his second outing since a six-week shutdown, throwing two scoreless innings from the same mound which he threw a complete game one-hit shutout on July 6. The righty from Red Oak, Texas, gave up one hit and struck out four, finishing with a flourish by striking out the side in the bottom of the 2nd. Costeiu (6-7) took it the rest of the way, allowing only three hits and matching his career-high by striking out ten along the way.
C Juan Flores would provide all the offense needed with a 4th inning solo home run off Spokane starter Josh Grosz (1-5) for a 1-0 lead. The young catcher sliced a Grosz pitch through the wind and off the caboose past the short right field wall. Tri-City would add two runs in the 8th inning for extra breathing room, beginning with a double to the gap in left center by LF Rio Foster. RF Randy De Jesus then laid down a well-place sacrifice bunt down the third base line that put pressure on Indians 3B Skyler Messinger, whose throw missed first and ended up in Avista Stadium's expansive foul territory. Foster scored and De Jesus advanced to second. An infield hit by Flores got De Jesus to third and brought up SS Mitchell Daly, who lined a ball to right field caught and then thrown to first for what initially looked like a double play. The umpires stopped play after the catch, though, calling a balk on Spokane pitcher Luke Taggart and awarding De Jesus home plate for the third and final run. The win ended both Tri-City's six-game losing streak and Spokane's six-game winning streak.
DUST DEVILS NOTES
-The teams combined for 31 strikeouts in the game, with Spokane striking out 17 Dust Devils and Tri-City striking out 14 Indians. Spokane starter Josh Grosz also matched a career-high, striking out 12 in his six-inning tough luck loss.
-Four Dust Devils (Juan Flores, 3B Cole Fontenelle, Rio Foster and CF Anthony Scull) had two-hit games, accounting for the team's eight hits on the night. Scull now has 26 multi-hit games, the most on the team, with Foster and 2B Adrian Placencia tied for second with 18.
-Tri-City now sits at 2-0 in 2025 in games in which the only pitchers taking the mound have been named Ryan.
-The Eugene Emeralds clinched the Northwest League Second Half title with a 10-4 win over the Everett AquaSox at Funko Field. The same two teams will meet in the Northwest League Championship Series, with Eugene hosting games one and two September 9-10 before the best-of-five series shifts to Everett for games three through five September 12-14.
WHILE IT'S NICE TO HAVE COLLEGE FOOTBALL BACK, IT'S STILL BASEBALL SEASON
Tri-City and Spokane collide in game five of their six-game series at 6:35 p.m. Saturday night at Avista Stadium. Right-hander Yeferson Vargas (1-2, 6.54 ERA) takes the hill for the Dust Devils, countered by left-hander Griffin Herring (1-0, 1.71 ERA in five starts for Spokane).
Game coverage, to which you can listen for free at dustdevilsbaseball.com and the MiLB app, begins with the Dust Devils Pregame Show at 6:15 p.m.
Tri-City returns home after the series to host the Hillsboro Hops, September 2-7, to close out the 2025 regular season.
For tickets to the regular season-ending series with Hillsboro, visit the official ticket site: dustdevilsbaseball.com.
Images from this story
 Tri-City Dust Devils' Ryan Costeiu and Ryan Johnson |
Northwest League Stories from August 30, 2025
- Ryan Sloan Strikes out Seven in 15-8 Loss - Everett AquaSox
- Spokane's Bullpen Falters in 9-6 Loss to Tri-City - Spokane Indians
- Stanifer Shoves as C's Earn Narrow Victory - Vancouver Canadians
- Pitching Duel Slips Away from Hops in 2-0 Loss to Canadians - Hillsboro Hops
- Druw Jones' Go-Ahead Inside-The-Park Homer Is the Difference in 6-4 Win - Hillsboro Hops
- Emeralds Clinch NWL 2nd Half Championship, Set to Host Home Games 9/9 & 9/10 - Eugene Emeralds
- All About the Ryans: Tri-City's Costeiu, Johnson Shut out Spokane - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Canadians Relinquish Early Lead in Friday Night Defeat - Vancouver Canadians
- Emeralds Secure 2nd Half Northwest League Championship - Eugene Emeralds
- Eike and Farmelo Homer in 10-4 Loss - Everett AquaSox
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