NWL Tri-City Dust Devils

Tri-City Takes 2023 Opener From Hillsboro Via Six-Run 7th

Published on April 7, 2023 under Northwest League (NWL)
Tri-City Dust Devils News Release


The Tri-City Dust Devils (1-0) broke open a 2-2 tie with a six-run 7th inning Thursday, capitalizing on walks and Hillsboro Hops (0-1) miscues on the way to a 9-2 win on 2023's Opening Night at Gesa Stadium.

Dust Devils 2B Arol Vera provided the game-winning hit, a 2-run opposite field single to left off Hops reliever Piñiel Otaño (0-1) that scored C Brendan Tinsman and SS Adrian Placencia to give Tri-City its first lead at 4-2. Vera also had the Dust Devils' first hit, a 4th inning single, going 2-5 on the night.

Placencia, who had stolen second in the 7th, went 0-1 but walked four times on the night in his High-A debut, setting the table for hitters behind him. It was the first time Placencia has walked four times in his pro career.

The inning continued with Alexander Ramirez walking and Gabe Matthews singling behind him to drive in Vera, pushing the lead to 5-2. Next up was CF D'Shawn Knowles, who bunted back to the mound. Hillsboro reliever Gerald Ogando's throw swung wide of second, pulling SS Channy Ortiz off the bag and giving Ramirez an opportunity to race home on the error for a 6-2 lead.

A two-out error on a slow grounder to Ortiz allowed two more runs to score, with Matthews coming home and Knowles sprinting around from second to make it an 8-2 game.

Matthews added a second run-scoring hit in the 8th inning, doubling down the right field line to plate Ramirez for the final 9-2 margin.

Dust Devils reliever Nick Jones (1-0) pitched a scoreless top of the 7th inning, earning the win in his return to the Northwest League.

The contest started as a pitcher's duel, with Tri-City starter John Swanda and Hillsboro hurler Dylan Ray both running once through the lineup perfectly before giving up two runs in the 4th.

Swanda struck out five Hops hitters and walked none, giving up back-to-back RBI hits to Hillsboro C J.J. D'Orazio (a two-out triple to right-center) and DH Jesus Valdez (a single to left).

Ray gave up two runs on two hits, with a 4th inning RBI single to left by Alexander Ramirez (1 for 3, 2 BBs) getting the Dust Devils on the board. Ray left after 3.1 IP, striking out six and walking two. The Hops bullpen struggled behind Ray, though, walking eight in 4.2 innings of work. The 10 total walks issued by Hillsboro pitchers was one shy of the single-game franchise high of 11.

Tri-City, meanwhile, got five innings of scoreless relief from its bullpen, giving up only three hits along the way. Robinson Piña followed Swanda and covered the 5th and 6th innings. After Jones's 7th inning stint, Nathan Burns and Dakota Donovan each threw an inning to finish the game out. Donovan got all three outs in the 9th via strikeout.

Game two of the three-game series between the Dust Devils and the Hops is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday night at Gesa Stadium, with the game broadcast beginning at 6:10 p.m. at dustdevilsbaseball.com and the MiLB First Pitch app. Tri-City will send righty Connor Van Scoyoc to the hill to make his High-A debut, and Hillsboro will do the same with lefty Spencer Giesting.

Fans at the game also get to enjoy the Dust Devils' first Family Feast Night of the season, with $2 hot dogs and $1 bags of chips, ice cream sandwiches and 12 oz. Coke products on sale all game.

Tickets for Friday and Saturday's games are on sale now, with 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).

Check out the Tri-City Dust Devils Statistics

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Northwest League Stories from April 7, 2023


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