Rooster Tails Leave Emeralds in Wake
May 31, 2025 - Northwest League (NWL)
Tri-City Dust Devils News Release
Tri-City Dust Devils at bat
(Tri-City Dust Devils)
PASCO - An early power display backed by solid pitching again ended up the recipe for the Tri-City Dust Devils (25-23), who scored a 5-1 win over the Eugene Emeralds (24-25) in front of 2,446 fans at Gesa Stadium enjoying the first game of a Columbia River Rooster Tails weekend.
3B Ben Gobbel started off the night by homering in his third straight game, a solo blast to left-center off Eugene starter Shane Rademacher (3-4) with two outs in the bottom of the 1st inning for a 1-0 lead. After the Emeralds scored a run to tie things in the top of the 2nd, LF Alexander Ramirez then struck with a massive two-run homer to left center, going 459 feet out to the soccer fields and giving Columbia River a 3-1 lead through two innings. Starter Chris Cortez ran up against his pitch count in the top of the 5th inning, ending by going 4.1 innings and allowing only the one run on four hits with four strikeouts. Jorge Marcheco (4-2) took up the torch from there, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts and scattering three hits along the way. The Rooster Tails then added insurance runs late, with CF Anthony Scull lining an RBI single to center in the 7th and Gobbel scoring a thrilling run in the 8th by scoring from second on a wild pitch. Jake Smith got the final four outs for his fourth save in as many tries, securing the home nine's third straight win and two opportunities to win the series over the weekend.
ROOSTER TAILS REPORTS
-Ben Gobbel became the third Angels/High-A era Dust Devil to hit home runs in three consecutive games, joining infielders Andy Blake (2023) and Will McGillis (2024) in the exclusive club. The Belmont Abbey graduate now stands as one of six Tri-City hitters in the digital statistics era (2005-onward) to homer in back-to-back-to-back games, matching both Bo Bowman (2008 and 2009) and Chandler Laurent (2010) and chasing Mike Zuanich (2009), who homered in four consecutive games for the Dust Devils.
-The home runs from Gobbel and Alexander Ramirez made up a third of Columbia River's hits Friday night. Anthony Scull went 2-for-3 for the team's only multi-hit night, 2B Adrian Placencia added a double with a run scored and 3B Arol Vera socked his first triple of 2025.
-Tri-City has fared well in its alternate identities so far this year, going 4-1 in their first five home games not in Dust Devils attire. Viñeros de Tri-City won two out of three over its weekend to start out May, and the Columbia River Rooster Tails sit at 2-0 after the win tonight.
HEAT 2 FOR ROOSTER TAILS SATURDAY NIGHT
Tri-City, playing again as the Columbia River Rooster Tails, will lock horns with Eugene in game five of their near weeklong series Saturday night at Gesa Stadium, again slated for a 6:30 p.m. start. Right-hander Ryan Johnson (0-1, 3.86 ERA) will take the ball for the Rooster Tails, countered by an Emeralds starter yet to be announced. Weather permitting postgame fireworks will light the sky above the Tri, thanks to Desert Food Mart.
Free broadcast coverage, available audio-only at dustdevilsbaseball.com and the MiLB app and with video in the MiLB Zone of Bally Sports Live, begins with the Dust Devils Pregame Show at 6:10 p.m.
After the Rooster Tails weekend concludes, the Vancouver Canadians come to Gesa Stadium for a six-game series starting June 3rd. Games Tuesday-Saturday, as in the Eugene series will start at 6:30 p.m. with the Sunday afternoon contest scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. matinee.
For tickets to games on the upcoming homestand and for all 2025 Dust Devils home games, visit the official ticket site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.
Images from this story
 Tri-City Dust Devils at bat |
Northwest League Stories from May 31, 2025
- Hillsboro Shut Out For League-Leading Sixth Time - Hillsboro Hops
- Ems Rally for 4-Run Comeback in Late Innings - Eugene Emeralds
- Yesavage, Bonds, Stanifer Combine on Shutout Win - Vancouver Canadians
- Cole Young to Make MLB Debut - Everett AquaSox
- Everett Belts Three Homers in 8-3 Win - Everett AquaSox
- Rooster Tails Leave Emeralds in Wake - Tri-City Dust Devils
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.
