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NWL Tri-City Dust Devils

Emeralds Edge Viñeros Late

August 4, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Tri-City Dust Devils News Release


Tri-City Dust Devils' Michael Darrell-Hicks on the mound
Tri-City Dust Devils' Michael Darrell-Hicks on the mound
(Tri-City Dust Devils)

Gesa Stadium's six-game shutout streak ended Thursday night, as the Eugene Emeralds (16-17 2H, 50-49) overcame an early and long-held Tri-City Dust Devils (15-18 2H, 49-50) advantage to take a 3-2 win in front of 1,922 fans.

The game began much like the first two matchups of the six-game set, with Tri-City holding its opponents off the scoreboard for the first six innings. The Dust Devils, playing as the Viñeros de Tri-City, also grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st when 2B Adrian Placencia, who had doubled the opposite way to right-center off lefty Eugene starter Reggie Crawford, scored on a Crawford balk after moving to third on a throwing error by the Emeralds pitcher.

Viñeros starter Michael Darrell-Hicks made the run hold up by throwing six scoreless innings for his second straight outing, giving up only two hits and two walks with nine strikeouts. Only two runners moved into scoring position while Darrell-Hicks was on the mound, and both were stranded at second base.

The tide first turned in the top of the 7th, where Eugene dented the scoreboard for the first time in the series and tied the game. Tri-City reliever Jake Smith walked both RF Jared Dupere and LF Carter Williams to open the inning but got some help from his battery mate C Caleb Pendleton, who fired a perfect pickoff throw to second to cut down Dupere for the first out. Smith then induced a pop out by 3B Thomas Gavello to bring Emeralds C Brett Auerbach to the plate.

Auerbach sent a high fly ball to left field in an opportune time of night, with his ball momentarily lost in the dusky sky over Gesa Stadium. Viñeros LF Casey Dana found the ball as it was coming down and made a diving attempt at it, but it dropped in. Williams scored to tie the game at 1-1 and end Tri-City's shutout streak at 33 innings.

The home nine got right back to work in the bottom of the 7th, retaking the lead. SS Caleb Ketchup took a pitch from Eugene reliever Nick Morreale (5-2) for the team, reaching base as a hit batter to lead things off. A groundout by Dana advanced Ketchup to second, and he moved up to third on passed ball. RF D'Shawn Knowles came up with two out and grounded a ball up the middle to the second base side. Eugene 2B Damon Dues got to it but his throw to first was late, an RBI infield single that scored Ketchup for a 2-1 Viñeros lead.

It stayed that way to the top of the 9th, where the Emeralds flipped the script. 1B Sean Roby drew a leadoff walk off reliever Hayden Seig, who was replaced by Jared Southard (0-3). The visitors then got back-to-back infield singles from Dupere and Williams to load the bases. That brought Gavello up, who hit a hard grounder past a diving Tri-City 3B Werner Blakely and into left field. Dupere and Williams scored on the two-run hit that gave Eugene a 3-2 lead.

The Viñeros then made one last charge in the 9th. 1B Matt Coutney walked to open the inning, leading to Morreale leaving the game and handing the ball to teammate Hunter Dula. A wild pitch moved Coutney to second, and an aggressive tag-up on a fly out by Ketchup got him to third. The potential tying run was 90 feet away, but Dula made sure he stayed there by striking out Dana and Pendleton to end both the game and Tri-City's three-game winning streak.

At the plate, it was a good night for the top of the order with Adrian Placencia and Joe Stewart both getting two hits to help the cause. Stewart also stole two bases, his 38th and 39th, to retake the Northwest League lead.

WAY TO GO, CAMPY!: Before the game, Minor League Baseball announced that Dust Devils C Gustavo Campero had been named the Northwest League Player of the Month for July. The native of Santa Cruz de Lorica, Colombia led the NWL in several offensive categories, including batting average (.407), RBI (18), triples (two), on-base percentage (.493), slugging percentage (.833) and OPS (1.326). Campero also was third in doubles (seven), fourth in total bases (45) and sixth in home runs (four), and recorded seven multi-hit games in 17 July contests.

The Dust Devils and Emeralds will clash in game four of their six-game series at 7:05 p.m. Friday night at Gesa Stadium, where it's both Jersey Lunch Bag Giveaway Night and a Family Feast Night presented by Gesa Credit Union. $2 hot dogs, 12 oz. Coca-Cola products, bags of chips, ice cream sandwiches and Laffy Taffy ropes can be enjoyed throughout the game.

Right-hander Chase Chaney (6-4, 3.13 ERA) is scheduled to start for Tri-City, and righty Nick Sinacola (2-5, 4.97 ERA) the same for Eugene. Broadcast coverage begins with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m., both here and at the MiLB First Pitch app.

Tickets for both Friday night's game and the weekend's contests are on sale now. Also, special ticket rates are 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' Michael Darrell-Hicks on the mound
Tri-City Dust Devils' Michael Darrell-Hicks on the mound
   



Northwest League Stories from August 4, 2023


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