Hops Pour Bitterly Cold Brew for Dust Devils
PASCO – On a Wednesday night when a cold breeze blew through the Columbia Basin, the Tri-City Dust Devils (6-5) found a few late runs but not enough in an 8-4 loss to the Hillsboro Hops (5-6) at Gesa Stadium, evening up the teams’ six-game series at a game apiece.
PASCO – On a Wednesday night when a cold breeze blew through the Columbia Basin, the Tri-City Dust Devils (6-5) found a few late runs but not enough in an 8-4 loss to the Hillsboro Hops (5-6) at Gesa Stadium, evening up the teams’ six-game series at a game apiece.
Starting pitcher Nate Snead (0-2) struck out six for Tri-City in his 3.2 innings of work and issued only one free pass on a hit-by-pitch. After opening up the scoring in the 2nd inning, though, Hillsboro got to Snead in the top of the 4th by scoring three runs to take a 4-0 lead. The visitors added another run in the 6th to move in front 5-0.
The Dust Devils rallied in the 7th to get thoroughly back in the game, taking advantage of some Hops wildness to score thrice. DH Matt Coutney’s two-run single got Tri-City on the board and a balk plated 3B Jake Munroe to make it a 5-3 game, with all three runners who scored reaching via walk. The home nine then had two chances with the potential tying run at the plate, but the Hops limited the damage to stay in the lead.
Hillsboro then added a run in the 8th and a two-run home run in the 9th to ultimately put the game out of reach at 8-3. Back-to-back singles from 2B Johan Macias and Munroe gave hope for a Tri-City rally in the bottom of the 9th and Macias later scored on a wild pitch, but that would be as close as the Dust Devils could muster.
Hops reliever Joangel Gonzalez (1-0) went two innings for the win, giving up a run on two hits and striking out four. Starter Junior Sanchez fell two outs shy of being the pitcher of record but threw 4.1 scoreless innings, striking out six.
Multi-hit games from Matt Coutney and CF Anthony Scull, who also contributed defensively by making a tough sliding catch early in the game, helped power an eight-hit attack on the night for the baseballers of Pasco, Kennewick and Richland.
TOMORROW’S FORECAST: SLIGHTLY WARMER, NOT QUITE AS WINDY
Tri-City and Hillsboro clash in game three of their six-game set at 6:30 p.m. Thursday night at Gesa Stadium, where the first Thirsty Thursday of the season will take place. Lower-priced fountain drinks ($2.50 – 16 oz.) and 12 oz. draft beers ($3.50 domestic, $4.50 premium) can be enjoyed throughout the night.
Dust Devils right-hander Peyton Olejnik (0-1, 7.36 ERA) will get in his first Gesa Stadium start as a Dust Devil. Righty Wellington Aracena (0-0, 6.00 ERA) will do the same for the Hops.
Broadcast coverage begins with the Dust Devils Pregame Show at 6:10 p.m., found for free at dustdevilsbaseball.com (go to Team, then Listen Live) and the MiLB app. The game can also be watched live for free on the Bally Sports Live app and website, and either live or on-demand via an MLB+ or MLB.tv subscription.
For tickets for the Hillsboro series, as well as all 2026 Dust Devils home games, visit the official ticket site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.