Dust Devils, Emeralds Split Doubleheader
June 10, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Tri-City Dust Devils News Release
Tri-City Dust Devils' Connor Van Scoyoc on the mound
(Tri-City Dust Devils)
The Tri-City Dust Devils (29-27) and Eugene Emeralds (28-28) played two tight ballgames in a Saturday doubleheader, the Dust Devils taking a 2-1 win in game one and the Emeralds coming back for a 6-5 win in game two.
Tri-City got a big performance from game one starter Connor Van Scoyoc (3-3), who went the distance in a 7-inning complete game five-hitter for the win. The Iowan righty gave up only one run, a solo home run by Eugene 1B Logan Wyatt in the bottom of the 7th that spoiled a shutout bid. Van Scoyoc was otherwise brilliant, striking out six and walking only one in his first professional complete game.
Though the Dust Devils were held to three hits in game one, one proved the difference: a two-run single by SS Arol Vera that gave the "visitors" their runs and, at the time, a 2-0 lead. 3B Casey Dana, who led off the inning with a walk, and RF Joe Stewart, who singled, both scored on the play. DH Werner Blakely added a 4th inning double in the win.
Game two was a back-and-forth affair with the Emeralds taking an early 1-0 lead on a solo home run by RF Victor Bericoto, his sixth of the season at Gesa Stadium. The lead extended to 3-0 through three innings via an error, a sacrifice fly by Bericoto and a wild pitch.
Tri-City would rally in the top of the 4th inning, ignited by a leadoff single from Vera. LF Alexander Ramirez followed with a double to the left-center gap, putting runners at second and third. Blakely then hit a sac fly to center, bringing home Vera for the first run. C Gustavo Campero came up and doubled the opposite way to left, scoring Ramirez to make it a 3-2 game. The switch-hitting Colombian catcher then stole third and the throw to get him from Eugene C Max Wright flew into left field, Campero getting up to run home and tie the game at 3-3 on the error.
Dust Devils starter Bryce Osmond, making his first start since taking a line drive off his throwing arm in a May 28 start at Hillsboro, went 3.1 innings and gave up three runs on just one hit. Reliever Erik Martinez then got out of a jam in the 4th and pitched a scoreless 5th to preserve the tie.
Tri-City then took a 5-3 lead in the top of the 6th inning. Campero laced his second double of the game to left field, stealing third for a second time. Dana then hit a hard skipping liner of the glove of Emeralds 3B Brett Auerbach, an infield single scoring Campero for a 4-3 lead. Stewart followed with a line drive triple to right, scoring Dana for a 5-3 advantage and putting the Dust Devils within six outs of a doubleheader sweep.
Eugene had other thoughts, scoring thrice to take the lead off Tri-City reliever Willian Suarez (0-2). Wright started with a solo home run to right, atoning for his earlier error and bringing his team within a run at 5-4. 2B Dilan Rosario then added a single and LF Ghordy Santos walked, putting the tying and go-ahead runs on base. Nathan Burns was then summoned to try to hold the lead. Emeralds CF Grant McCray executed a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position, and Auerbach sent a sac fly to center to score Rosario and tie the game at 5-5. It also allowed Santos to move up to third, which put him 90 feet away with two out. Burns induced the fearsome Bericoto to hit a groundball to third, but Dana could not handle it. The error allowed Santos to score the run that ended up the difference in game two.
Nick Morreale (4-0), who gave up the 6th inning Dust Devils rally, stayed on for the final three outs in the 7th. Campero singled with two out to put the potential tying run on board, and Gabe Matthews pinch-hit. He hit a fly ball deep to center field, but McCray caught it near the warning track to end the game.
Between the two games Tri-City saw both Gustavo Campero and Joe Stewart put three hits on the board. Stewart extended his hitting streak to eight games, and Adrian Placencia drew walks in both games to push his on-base streak to 14 games. Werner Blakely also tripled in the 2nd inning of game two for extra-base hits on both sides of the doubleheader, and Arol Vera had two more outstanding defense plays to go alongside hits in both games.
Tri-City will look to grab the series win in the finale of the six-game set with Eugene, scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. start at Gesa Stadium. Left-hander Sammy Natera, Jr. (1-3, 4.97 ERA), will get the start for the Dust Devils and the Emeralds starter is to be announced. Broadcast coverage will begin with the pregame show at 11:40 a.m. both here and at the MiLB First Pitch app.
Tickets for Sunday's game are available for $5, including some sections of the lower boxes, and can be purchased both online and in-person. As well, full season ticket holders receive their seats as part of their ticket package and are asked to call the office at (509) 544-8789 to have tickets either placed in Will Call or delivered electronically.
The next homestand for the Dust Devils begins Tuesday, June 13, when they host the Everett AquaSox on both a Trivia and Coca-Cola Tuesday. Tickets for the Everett 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 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' Connor Van Scoyoc on the mound |
Northwest League Stories from June 10, 2023
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