June 10, 2023 – Northwest League (NWL) – Tri-City Dust Devils News Release
The formula of great defense and timely hitting has won many a baseball game, and the Tri-City Dust Devils (28-26) received both in a 4-2 victory over the Eugene Emeralds (27-27) Friday night at Gesa Stadium.
Tri-City, as the road team, stood tied 2-2 in the top of the 7th inning when 2B Adrian Placencia drew a two-out walk to get aboard. 1B Gabe Matthews found himself in a 1-2 count when Eugene reliever Seth Lonsway (0-7) attempted to pick Placencia off at first and caught him leaning toward second. His throw, though, flew over Emeralds 1B Victor Bericoto and into foul territory, allowing Placencia to move to second on a throwing error.
Matthews would make Lonsway pay two pitches later, doubling to the gap in left center and scoring Placencia from second for a 3-2 Dust Devils lead. The “visitors” added a run in the top of the 9th on a wild pitch by Eugene hurler Hunter Dula that gave CF D’Shawn Knowles, who led off the frame with a single, enough time to score from third for the final 4-2 margin.
Tri-City closer Nick Jones came on for the bottom of the 9th, issuing a two-out walk to Emeralds RF Carter Howell that brought Bericoto, who has hit more home runs than anyone else in 2023 at Gesa Stadium, to the plate. Jones, though, struck him out with a fastball to end the game, securing his fifth save in as many tries and keeping his team within two games of first place in a tight Northwest League First Half race.
Emilker Guzman (3-2) got the win in relief for the Dust Devils, holding Eugene off the scoreboard after inheriting a two-on, no-out jam from starter Chase Chaney in the 6th. The Venezuelan righty also got some help to post a zero in the bottom of the 7th from his middle infield, who erased a leadoff hit via a slick 6-4-3 double play started by SS Arol Vera.
Vera had a stellar night in the field, taking two hits away in big moments of the ballgame. The first came with a runner at third and two out in the bottom of the 5th. Bericoto came to the plate and hit a grounder deep in the hole on the left side. Vera backhanded it and made an amazing jump throw to first to get Bericoto and keep the game tied at 2-2. The second prevented Emeralds LF Ghordy Santos from reaching to lead off the bottom of the 9th, a stop up the middle finished with a spinning throw by Vera for the out.
The Valencia, Venezuela native also came through at the plate, opening the scoring by singling home RF Joe Stewart in the top of the 1st to give him a team-leading 31 RBI on the season. C Myles Emmerson added an RBI single in the 4th inning for the 2-2 tie.
Stewart had a multi-hit game for Tri-City, going 2 for 4 with a walk and extending his hitting streak to six games. Gabe Matthews (14 games) and Adrian Placencia (13 games) extended on-base streaks, and DH Alexander Ramirez doubled in the 1st to push his hitting streak to eight games. On the mound, reliever Nathan Burns pitched a scoreless 8th for the Dust Devils, his seventh straight outing without giving up an earned run.
Tri-City and Eugene will play a doubleheader of two seven-inning games beginning at 1:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon, making up a game postponed from Tuesday due to the logistical issues that moved the series to the Tri-Cities. Game one will see right-hander Connor Van Scoyoc (2-3, 3.14 ERA) take the ball for the Dust Devils, with righty Miguel Yajure (0-0, 5.00 ERA in four starts at Single-A San Jose) going for the Emeralds.
Game two will start 45 minutes after game one. Right-hander Bryce Osmond (1-5, 4.91 ERA) returns to the bump for Tri-City and Eugene counters with lefty Matt Mikulski (0-3, 7.89 ERA).
Broadcast coverage of the doubleheader begins with the pregame show at 1:10 p.m. both here and at the MiLB First Pitch app.
Tickets for the weekend’s games are available for $5 per game, including some sections of the lower boxes, and can be purchased both online and in-person. As well, full season ticket holders receive their seats as part of their ticket package and are asked to call the office at (509) 544-8789 to have tickets either placed in Will Call or delivered electronically.
The next homestand for the Dust Devils begins Tuesday, June 13, when they host the Everett AquaSox on both a Trivia and Coca-Cola Tuesday. Tickets for the Everett series 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).
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