Bergman, Dust Devils tie NWL Finals

Christian Bergman has been one of the best pitchers in the Northwest League this season. So it's no surprise that when the Dust Devils faced a must-win game, he was able to come through.

The Rockies prospect allowed two runs on eight hits over six innings Saturday as Tri-City defeated the Vancouver Canadians, 5-3, to force a decisive third game in the Northwest League Championship Series.

Bergman (2-0) struck out four without issuing a walk.

After the 23-year-old right-hander surrendered two runs in the third, the Dust Devils scored three times in the fourth. Jaron Shepherd hit an RBI single and Samuel Mende put Tri-City ahead for good with a two-run double.

Tri-City had a scare in the bottom of the ninth, when reliever Nelson Gonzalez loaded the bases with one out. But he got Jonathon Berti to hit into a game-ending double play.

Mende doubled twice and finished with three RBIs, while Shepherd and Jared Simon also enjoyed two-hit games for the Dust Devils.

A 24th-round pick last year, Bergman led the league with seven wins, a 0.97 WHIP and 97 1/3 innings pitched during the regular season. He ranked third with a 2.59 ERA and was the only Northwest Leaguer to pitch a shutout, which he did twice.

The California native also won the Dust Devils' playoff opener on Monday, allowing two hits over seven shutout innings against Boise.

Chris Schaeffer had two hits, including a solo homer, for Vancouver, which hosts Game 3 on Sunday.