Sports stats

NWL Tri-City Dust Devils

Dust Devils Fall Run Shy of AquaSox

July 21, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Tri-City Dust Devils News Release


Tri-City Dust Devils pitcher Sammy Natera, Jr.
Tri-City Dust Devils pitcher Sammy Natera, Jr.
(Tri-City Dust Devils)

The Tri-City Dust Devils (9-12 2H, 43-44) and Everett AquaSox (12-9 2H, 46-41) played their third straight one-run game to open their week-long series, with Tri-City falling 4-3 to Everett Thursday night at Funko Field.

Starter Sammy Natera, Jr. (1-6), gave the Dust Devils a quality start despite giving up three home runs at the fly-ball friendly field in the first three innings. All three were solo shots, one per inning, giving the AquaSox a 3-0 lead through three innings. The long lefty from Juarez, Mexico prevented further damage by working out of a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the 2nd via a strikeout and a double play started by 2B Adrian Placencia. Natera, Jr., also tied a career-high by striking out nine Everett batters, matching his strikeout total in his last start July 9 at Eugene, and at one point retired ten AquaSox in a row.

Tri-City got on the board in the top of the 4th inning when SS Arol Vera sent a pitch from Everett starter Nick Davila (1-4) the opposite way and just inside the left field line. 1B Matt Coutney, who had reached via error to open the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch, scored easily to bring the Dust Devils within two at 3-1.

The visitors then added another tally in the 5th. 3B Osmy Gregorio, who went 3 for 4 with a double on a night, singled up the middle and C Myles Emmerson did the same to put runners at first and second with no one out. CF D'Shawn Knowles grounded into a fielder's choice, legging it out to prevent a double play, and Placencia came up. He hit a sharp grounder to first, where Everett 1B Hogan Windish grabbed it and stepped on the bag for the second out. His throw to second for a tag double play missed, though, and Gregorio scored to make it a 3-2 game.

The AquaSox would get what proved the winning run in the bottom of the 7th on a rare two-out defensive lapse. C Harry Ford hit a spinning groundball to third, where Gregorio bobbled it and threw high to first, a play with which he was charged two errors. CF Blake Rambusch, who had walked to start the inning and made it to third via a stolen base and groundout, scored to push the lead back out to two at 4-2.

That put Tri-City in the position to have to attempt a third straight comeback in the 9th. It got off to a great start when LF Alexander Ramirez chopped a ball off the turf and just fair down the right field line. It rolled all the way to the corner, and Ramirez sprinted the whole way for a lead-off triple, his second hit of the night. RF Joe Stewart then grounded out to the right side, scoring Ramirez to again bring the Dust Devils within a run at 4-3. The comeback rally would end there, though, with AquaSox reliever Sam Carlson earning his second save.

Game four of the six-game series has a 7:05 p.m. expected first pitch Friday night at Funko Field, with right-hander Cole Percival (0-3, 4.25 ERA) the planned starter for Tri-City and lefty Brandon Schaeffer (4-2, 3.86 ERA) the same for Everett.

Broadcast coverage begins with the pregame show at 6:45 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 six-game set with the Hillsboro Hops July 25-30, a series which includes the July 28-30 return of the Columbia River Rooster Tails on Columbia Cup weekend in the Tri-Cities. Tickets for the series with Hillsboro 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).

Check out the Tri-City Dust Devils Statistics




Images from this story

Tri-City Dust Devils pitcher Sammy Natera, Jr.
Tri-City Dust Devils pitcher Sammy Natera, Jr.
   



Northwest League Stories from July 21, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Tri-City Dust Devils Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central