Big Inning for AquaSox Dooms Dust Devils
Published on June 18, 2023 under Northwest League (NWL)
Tri-City Dust Devils News Release
Tri-City Dust Devils' Ryan Hernandez on game night
(Tri-City Dust Devils)
Hopes for a Saturday night win for the Tri-City Dust Devils (32-30) were dashed by a six-run 4th inning for the Everett AquaSox (30-32), who went on to a 7-1 win in front of 2,464 at Gesa Stadium.
Tri-City looked early on as though they would follow their familiar formula of scoring early runs and avoiding major damage on the visitors' side of the scoreboard to a victory. Starter Bryce Osmond (1-6) got out of a bases loaded, no-out jam in the top of the 1st and wiggled out of a sacks-full, two-out situation in the 2nd, following them with a 1-2-3 3rd to keep Everett off the board.
The Dust Devils, meanwhile, put a run up at their first opportunity in the bottom of the 1st inning. LF Joe Stewart drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a one-out double by 1B Gabe Matthews. That brought up DH Arol Vera, who flew out far enough to right field to score Stewart for a 1-0 lead that held to the 4th.
There Tri-City's bases loaded luck spun out. The AquaSox loaded them up again with one out, chasing Osmond from the game. Reliever Jake Smith struck out Everett C Harry Ford to get within an out of another escape but then walked DH Alberto Rodriguez to force in a run to tie the game at 1-1.
RF Hogan Windish then came up with the bases still loaded and proceeded to unload them with one swing, a line drive 3-run double to right that made it a 4-1 game. Two more run-scoring hits followed, with nine men coming to the plate for the AquaSox in their six-run burst.
The home nine, meanwhile, had a chance to cut the lead down immediately, loading the bases with two out in the bottom of the 4th. Everett starter Brandon Schaeffer (2-1) induced a groundout to end the inning and strand three, though, with Ford adding an RBI groundout in the 5th to round out the scoring.
Schaeffer then finished his outing by retiring the last six he faced, going six innings for the win. Those after him followed in his train, as the AquaSox bullpen allowed only one baserunner the rest of the way to snuff out any hopes of a Dust Devils comeback.
On the upside, the Tri-City bullpen combination of Willian Suarez, Hayden Seig and Nick Mondak supplied 4.2 innings of scoreless relief. Also, Gabe Matthews had two hits on the night, and RF Alexander Ramirez returned to action with a 1st inning single.
The loss for the Dust Devils brought the team's elimination number in the Northwest League First Half race to one, meaning they must win their final four games of the half and hope for help from both Hillsboro and Eugene to hand four losses to first-place Vancouver. One win for the Canadians will clinch the First Half title and grant them a berth in the Northwest League Championship Series following the regular season's end in September.
Tri-City and Everett clash in the series finale at 7:05 p.m. Sunday night at Gesa Stadium, with dads and kids invited to come on the field and play catch at 6:05 p.m., when gates open, for about 15 minute or so. A Happy Hour will also be held, with discounted brews for Dad and all adults 21 and over until the 7:05 first pitch.
The Dust Devils will give the ball to left-hander Sammy Natera, Jr. (1-3, 4.60 ERA) and the AquaSox will send right-hander Jimmy Joyce (0-0, 2.16 ERA) to the mound for his second start of the series. Broadcast coverage will begin with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m. both here and at the MiLB First Pitch app.
Tickets for Sunday night's game are on sale now, with special ticket rates available for groups of 20 or more. For more information on Dust Devils single game, season, mini-plan (11, 22, 33) and group tickets, visit dustdevilsbaseball.com, call the team office at (509) 544-8789, or visit the team office (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on game nights, or Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. otherwise).
Images from this story
 Tri-City Dust Devils' Ryan Hernandez on game night |
Northwest League Stories from June 18, 2023
- Carpe Diem: Canadians Seize NWL 1st-Half Title - Hillsboro Hops
- C's Clinch First Half Crown with 5-1 Win - Vancouver Canadians
- Sox Burst Dust Devils' Bubble with 7-1 Win - Everett AquaSox
- Big Inning for AquaSox Dooms Dust Devils - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Emeralds Win 4th Straight Against Spokane - Eugene Emeralds
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