Extra Innings See Dust Devils Walk-Off in Windy Conditions
July 2, 2019 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Eugene Emeralds News Release
High-intensity winds and rains created a difficult setting for baseball on Monday night between the Eugene Emeralds (7-11) and Tri-City Dust Devils (10-8), but it was the Dust Devils that persevered through for a 10-9 win in extra innings at Gesa Stadium in front of 1,393.
The loss marks the seventh in a row for the Ems, all of which have come on their current nine-game roadtrip through Boise, Hillsboro, and now Pasco.
Once again, the Ems took the early lead in the top of the second off of starter Felix Minjarez. Brandon Vicens drove a high fly ball to right with Jonathan Soto on third and one out, good enough for a sacrifice fly to put them up, 1-0.
However, the lead would be short-lived as the Dust Devils answered immediately in the bottom half of the frame. After Ems starter Eduarniel Nunez got the first two outs in relatively quick succession, the wheels started to fall off the wagon. Luke Becker doubled down the left field line, followed by a single from Alison Quintero and a walk issued to Tre Carter that loaded the bases. Jordy Barley then launched a bases-clearing double down the left field line, giving the Dust Devils a 3-1 lead.
They would continue to pour it on in the frame, as Kelvin Melean would bring home Barley with a single to right. Melean would later score in the inning on a bases loaded walk issued to Carlos Luis.
The five-run frame chased Nunez from the game as he finished with just 1.2 innings pitched with five hits and five earned runs allowed. It was another tough start for Nunez, his second short outing on the current road trip.
Jake Slaughter cut the deficit to two with a two-run single in the top of the third inning, making it a 503 game. Felix Minjarez exited after that third inning, finishing with three runs allowed (two earned) and three strikeouts.
Almost immediately, the Dust Devils answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third, one coming on an RBI single from Alison Quintero and the other on a wild pitch from reliever Casey Ryan that allowed Quintero to score from third, regaining the four-run advantage for Tri-City.
After trading two runs back-and-forth again in the fifth inning, the Dust Devils head a 9-5 lead heading into the seventh. Deivy Mendez would enter out of the bullpen for Tri-City and the Emeralds went to work offensively.
Fernando Kelli belted a double down the left field line to kick off the inning, followed by an RBI single up the middle from Edmond Americaan that scored Kelli. Americaan followed with a steal of second but was then thrown out at third after Jake Slaughter grounder that was fielded by Dust Devils shortstop Kevin Melean, who smartly threw to third to nab Americaan. After Yonathan Perlaza singled up the middle, back-to-back wild pitches helped score Slaughter while moving Perlaza to third. After a walk to Jonathan Soto, Jose Gutierrez brought in Perlaza with a single up the middle, cutting the deficit to just one.
Of course, a wild pitch would then bring home Soto in the at-bat to Rafael Mejia, trying up the game at nine runs apiece. As the rains picked up and the winds failed to let up, the game remained tied at 9-9 through nine innings, sending the game to extras.
In the crucial top of the tenth inning, the Ems failed to score. Starting the frame with Jose Gutierrez on second base, pinch hitter Danny Zardon was plunked on the front shoulder on the very first pitch from Dominic DiSabatino. Brandon Vicens stepped up afterwards, attempting to lay down a sacrifice bunt. However, his bunt was too close to DiSabatino on the mound, who threw a backhanded flip to third base to ban Gutierrez, the lead runner, at third. Luis Diaz followed by flying out before Fernando Kelli grounded out, giving the Dust Devils the opportunity to win the game in the bottom half of the inning.
With pinch runner Jack Stronach beginning the bottom of the tenth at second base, Tre Carter legged out a bunt attempt down the first base line to put runners at first and third with nobody out against reliever Raidel Orta. Manager Lance Rymel chose to intentionally walk Jordy Barley to load the bases, but it was all for naught. Kevin Melean then lined a one-hopper right at Ems shortstop Luis Diaz, who bobbled the baseball attempting to gather it in his glove. With the ball trickling away, Stronach scored from third to end the game, a disheartening 10-9 loss in 10 innings for the Ems.
Game Two of the series is scheduled to start at 7:15pm PST from Gesa Stadium, with Zach Mort on the mound for the Emeralds. All of the action can be heard live on 95.3 The Score or on the TuneIn Radio app.
Northwest League Stories from July 2, 2019
- Promo Preview | STEAM Night, Bobblehead (And Bobble-Butt) Highlight Homestand - Eugene Emeralds
- Extra Innings See Dust Devils Walk-Off in Windy Conditions - Eugene Emeralds
- Boise Hawks Homestand #3 Preview - Boise Hawks
- C's Let Canada Day Thriller Slip Away; Fall 6-3 to Hops - Vancouver Canadians
- Dust Devils Notch Walk-Off Win in Extras - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Spokane's Strong Start Not Enough against Salem-Keizer - Spokane Indians
- Frogs' Bats Take off against Hawks, 6-2 - Everett AquaSox
- Toglia Collects Second Homer in 6-2 Loss to AquaSox - Boise Hawks
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