Dust Devils clinch first-half crown

Consistent pitching put the Tri-City Dust Devils in position to wrap up a playoff spot. A breakout offensive performance put them over the top.

The Dust Devils clinched the Northwest League East Division first-half title Sunday night with a 10-4 road win over the Yakima Bears.

What was skipper Fred Ocasio's message before the win?

"In a stage like this, when we're close to winning, I try not to talk about it," he said, "because the players know what is at hand."

Tri-City (21-16) has won three straight and five of its last six games, getting by with a middling offense -- Sunday was the fifth time it scored as many as 10 runs -- and a far-from-middling group of hurlers.

"Pitching has been what's got us here," Ocasio said. "Offensively of late, it has been better."

Entering play Sunday, the Dust Devils shared the league lead with West Division-leading Eugene with a 3.17 ERA. The Emeralds (24-13) squandered their chance to clinch Sunday with a 3-0 loss to Everett.

Twice since Ocasio joined the club in 2006, the Dust Devils have reached the Championship Series, only to lose. Last year, they went 30-46 and finished in last place.

Tri-City starter Vianney Mayo (2-1) allowed David Narodowski's third-inning solo homer before struggling in his sixth and final frame. He yielded four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Ching Lung Lo and Christopher Dennis finished up with 3 1/3 innings of one-hit relief.

"They go after hitters, they pitch to contact and they're not afraid to throw strikes," Ocasio said of his pitching staff.

The Dust Devils scored eight times against Bears starter Teo Gutierrez (3-1), who allowed nine hits and walked four over 4 2/3 frames. Four players had RBI singles in a five-run third.

Taylor Featherston, the Rockies' fifth-round pick in last month's Draft, led the way with three singles and three RBIs. Mired in a 7-for-53 slump, he delivered a pair of two-out hits.

"It was great to see him swing the bat well," Ocasio said. "We're going to need his bat."

David Hernandez doubled in two runs in the fifth and Jared Simon, a 2010 sixth-round pick, tripled home another in the sixth.

Hernandez was ejected in the seventh inning by plate umpire Sean Ryan. The third baseman fielded Carter Bell's grounder, tossed the ball to second baseman Timothy Smalling, who tried to complete a double play by throwing to first base.

"They called him safe," Ocasio said of the close play at first. "I have no idea what he said to the umpire."