Dust Devils Downed by AquaSox
July 23, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Tri-City Dust Devils News Release
Tri-City Dust Devils third baseman Werner Blakely
(Tri-City Dust Devils)
Hopes for a Tri-City Dust Devils (9-14 2H, 43-46) comeback ended on a play at the plate Saturday night, with the Everett AquaSox (14-9 2H, 48-41) taking a 3-1 victory at Funko Field to clinch a series win.
DH Alexander Ramirez drew a two-out walk in the top of the 9th to keep the game alive and bring C Gustavo Campero to the plate, facing Everett lefty reliever Peyton Alford from the right-hand side. The switch-hitting Colombian hit a liner down the left field line that landed fair and rolled to the wall. Ramirez got the green light to try to go home, but the relay throw from the outfield got to AquaSox C Harry Ford in time to tag a sliding Ramirez for the final out.
Previous to the 9th, Tri-City had been held to one scoring play on the night: a solo home run in the 7th inning by 3B Werner Blakely, who returned to the lineup for the first time since Sunday. RF Joe Stewart led off the game with a single, and Ramirez had singled in the 7th that was wiped out by a double play before Blakely's blast.
Everett opened the scoring in the 4th inning on a two-out opposite-field double by 3B Ben Ramirez that scored 1B Hogan Windish, who walked to lead off the inning. That was the only run given up by Dust Devils starter Michael Darrell-Hicks (1-3), who went four innings and struck out six AquaSox batters. The home nine's other two tallies came on a solo home run by SS Cole Young in the 5th inning and a 6th inning RBI double by DH Mike Salvatore.
Everett starter and familiar foil Jimmy Joyce (2-0) again held down the Tri-City offense, striking out ten in seven innings of work. Joyce now stands 4-2 against the Dust Devils in seven starts over the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Despite the loss, reliever Dylan Phillips had a nice rebound outing, throwing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts to keep his team close in the final innings.
Tri-City will try to end their six-game series with Everett on a winning note in the finale at 4:05 p.m. Sunday afternoon. The scheduled starters are right-hander Chase Chaney (6-3, 3.14 ERA) for the Dust Devils and lefty Reid VanScoter (8-3, 3.79 ERA) for the AquaSox. Broadcast coverage begins with the pregame show at 3:45 p.m., both here and at the MiLB First Pitch app.
Following the series in Everett the Dust Devils return to Gesa Stadium for a two-week homestand beginning with a six-game set with the Hillsboro Hops July 25-30. Tickets for the series with Hillsboro, which includes the July 28-30 return of the Columbia River Rooster Tails on Columbia Cup weekend in the Tri-Cities, 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).
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 Tri-City Dust Devils third baseman Werner Blakely |
Northwest League Stories from July 23, 2023
- AquaSox Drop Final Game of Homestand 5-4 in 11 - Everett AquaSox
- Emeralds Shut Out Hops For Series Finale Victory - Eugene Emeralds
- Indians Outlast Canadians in Sunday Slugfest - Spokane Indians
- C's Drop Series Finale at Spokane - Vancouver Canadians
- Emeralds Shutout Hops for Series Finale Victory - Eugene Emeralds
- Emeralds Shutout Hops in Series Finale - Hillsboro Hops
- Dust Devils Downed by AquaSox - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Emeralds Score 13 for Third Time in Five Games - Hillsboro Hops
- Emeralds' Bats Explode for 13 Runs - Eugene Emeralds
- Re-Joyce for Another AquaSox Win - Everett AquaSox
- Early Offense, Great Pitching Net C's Series Win - Vancouver Canadians
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