Dust Devils Bats Baffled by AquaSox
May 23, 2024 - Northwest League (NWL)
Tri-City Dust Devils News Release
Tri-City Dust Devils first baseman Matt Coutney
(Tri-City Dust Devils)
Held off the scoreboard most of the night, the Tri-City Dust Devils (18-21) avoided a shutout but could not get a rally to materialize in a 7-1 loss to the Everett AquaSox (18-21) Wednesday night at Funko Field.
Tri-City's lone run came in the top of the 9th, which began with a single to left-center by RF Jadiel Sanchez. 1B Matt Coutney doubled off the right field wall later in the inning to score Sanchez from first and erase the zero in the run column. The two-bagger also tied Coutney for the Northwest League lead in doubles with 11.
Offensively the visitors had been held to just three hits through the first eight innings, all off Everett starter Brandyn Garcia (3-0). The lefty struck out eight in the game and kept Dust Devils hitters off-balance, only running into major trouble once toward the end of his outing.
That trouble came in the top of the 5th, in which Tri-City loaded the bases via a hit and two walks while trailing 4-0. LF Jorge Ruiz stepped up with two and the sacks full, but Garcia struck him out with a slider to diffuse the threat and earn his second win against the Dust Devils this season.
Chris Clark (0-5) got the loss starting for Tri-City, giving up two runs in the 1st inning and two two-run home runs in his 4.1 innings of work. The righty struck out three but struggled to find his control, walking five in suffering his third straight defeat.
Despite the loss the Dust Devils got another great night from their bullpen, with lefty Quinton Martinez and righty Carlos Espinosa combining for 3.2 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief. Espinosa, featuring a heavy dose of sliders, struck out six AquaSox batters with the pitch in his two innings out of the pen.
Tri-City and Everett will play a doubleheader of two seven-inning games beginning at 6:05 p.m. Thursday night at Funko Field, making up a game rained out Tuesday night. Pitching matchups have changed due to the rainout earlier in the week, with projected starter Ryan Costeiu (0-0, 0.00 ERA) scheduled for Game 1 and righty Joel Hurtado (3-3, 6.03 ERA) the possible starter for Game 2, expected to start 30 minutes after Game 1 ends.
Broadcast coverage of the doubleheader begins with the pregame show at 5:45 p.m. Thursday night both here and on the MiLB app.
Tri-City then returns home on Tuesday, June 4, to begin a six-game series against the Eugene Emeralds at Gesa Stadium. It's another Coca-Cola Tuesday, with $2.50 21 oz. Coca-Cola products for fans to enjoy throughout the ballgame.
Tickets for the Eugene series 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 the team's official ticketing site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.
Images from this story
 Tri-City Dust Devils first baseman Matt Coutney |
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