Big Bats Arrive for Dust Devils in Win over Emeralds

EUGENE – Two-run homers in consecutive late innings and another solid performance from starter Tyler Bremner powered the Tri-City Dust Devils (16-19 2H, 51-50) to a 9-6 win over the Eugene Emeralds (19-16 2H, 61-40) Saturday night at PK Park, giving the visitors their second straight win.

The longballs, a 7^th inning blast to left from 3B Harold Coll and an 8^th inning shot by 2B David Mershon, both came with two out and extended the Tri-City lead (in Coll’s case to 7-4, and Mershon’s to 9-5). The Dust Devils led the game wire-to-wire, scoring in the top of the 1^st on a little league double steal/rundown play that got SS Capri Ortiz home for a 1-0 lead.

Two more came in on a bizarre 2^nd inning play that started with a bunt off the plate by DH Matt Coutney with RF Randy De Jesus aboard. Eugene starter Cade Vernon (6-3) tripped over the first base side of the mound as he got to the ball, and his throw to first went wide of first and into foul territory. De Jesus, who went to second on the bunt, ran to third and Coutney took second. Emeralds 1B Hayden Jatczak, seeing De Jesus off the bag at third, threw home but no one caught it and it went toward the backstop. De Jesus scored on the second throwing error of the play and Coutney moved to third, scoring on a Mershon sac fly to make it 3-0.

Bremner (2-4) won his second straight start, operating with the lead and striking out four in a scoreless first trip through the order. Eugene grabbed a run in both the 4^th and 5^th innings, but the top Angels prospect held the line and the lead. The San Diego native struck out a total of six while walking two in his second win in as many starts.

1B Ryan Nicholson’s two-run double in the 6^th acted as the first later lead-extending hit, pushing the edge out to 5-2. A two throwing error play by the Dust Devils handed the Ems two runs in the bottom of the 6^th but the visitors kept Eugene at bay for the remainder. Benny Thompson got the final three outs for his third save.

DUST DEVILS NOTES

-Capri Ortiz stole three bases, setting a new career-high at 32 steals with over a month to go. The native of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, stole 30 bases in his 2023 season in the Arizona Complex League.

-Ryan Nicholson’s double extended his on-base streak to 15 games. LF Jorge Ruiz and David Mershon both extended their hit streaks to nine games and, though his seven-game hit streak ended, C Peter Burns walked to convert it to an eight-game on-base streak.

-Saturday in the Northwest League saw the Hillsboro Hops beat the Everett AquaSox by a score of 6-1 at Hops Ballpark, winning their third straight game. At Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium the Spokane Indians scored early and often in a 9-1 rout of the Vancouver Canadians. Tri-City remained four game back of first place in the Second Half playoff race with their win.

AN 8-2 SPLIT

Tri-City and Eugene close their season series in the finale of their six-game set at 4:05 p.m. Sunday afternoon at PK Park. The Dust Devils will send right-hander Chase Shores (1-2, 5.59 ERA) to the hill for the start, countered by southpaw Luis De La Torre (3-6, 5.15 ERA) of the Emeralds. De La Torre went five innings and received a no-decision in Tuesday’s series opener.

Free broadcast coverage on the MiLB app and dustdevilsbaseball.com will begin with the Dust Devils Pregame Show at 3:45 p.m. Fans can also watch the game for free on Bally Sports Live (Eugene broadcast), and via subscription on MLB.tv and the MiLB app.

The Dust Devils return after the game to Gesa Stadium, opening a six-game series with the Hillsboro Hops on Tuesday, August 4. For tickets to the set with the Hops, as well as all 2026 Dust Devils home games, visit the official ticket site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.