Sensational Six-Run Second Takes Tri-City to Victory over Spokane
PASCO – Though it wasn’t Saturday night at the corner of Burden Boulevard and Homerun Road the Tri-City Dust Devils (13-12), playing as Viñeros de Tri-City, put up a major fireworks display of early runs, scoring six in the bottom of the 2nd inning on the way to an 8-2
PASCO – Though it wasn’t Saturday night at the corner of Burden Boulevard and Homerun Road the Tri-City Dust Devils (13-12), playing as Viñeros de Tri-City, put up a major fireworks display of early runs, scoring six in the bottom of the 2nd inning on the way to an 8-2 win over the Spokane Indians (12-13) Friday night at Gesa Stadium.
The game started with blasts from both sides, with both teams’ leadoff hitters hitting home runs on the first pitch they saw. Spokane CF Jared Thomas sent the first pitch of the game from starter Logan Britt (1-0) over the wall in straightaway center for a 1-0 lead. Like a cool and confident poker player, Tri-City 2B Adrian Placencia then called Thomas by bombing the first pitch out of the hand of Indians starter Jordy Vargas (0-1) over the right field fence and out of the park to tie the game at 1-1. Britt settled in from there, allowing only a hit and a walk, striking out six and retiring every other batter he faced to go five innings for the win.
His teammates continued their work in the second, getting two-run hits from LF Rio Foster (single), DH Alexander Ramirez (single) and CF Anthony Scull (double) to blow the game open. 3B Ben Gobbel homered in the 8th to put the icing on the cake, with closer A.J. Block defusing a Spokane charge in the 7th and finishing the game to even the series at two games apiece.
DUST DEVILS NOTES
-Adrian Placencia (2-4, HR, BB, 2 R), Alexander Ramirez (2-4, 2 RBI, R) and Ben Gobbel (2-4, HR, 2 R) each turned in multi-hit games for the Dust Devils in their first Viñeros game of 2025. Tri-City will play as the Viñeros Saturday and Sunday as well before donning the grape and green three more times (June 20th, July 10th and August 14th) at Gesa Stadium this year.
-Logan Britt’s outing against the High-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies earned him his second professional win. He got his first win as a starter for Single-A Inland Empire in April 2024 by beating the Fresno Grizzlies, the Single-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. Three Grizzlies from his first win (Aiden Longwell, Braylen Wimmer, and Andy Perez) were in the lineup as Spokane Indians Friday night.
-A.J. Block got the save, even though he came in with his team leading by five runs. By Rule 9.19(d)(2), a pitcher can get the save if they, while not the winning pitcher, come in at any point with the potential tying run either on-base, at the plate or in the on-deck circle. Block entered with Tri-City up 7-2 and the bases loaded, the situation making the man on-deck the potential tying run. Block struck out Jared Thomas on three pitches and finished the game, netting him his Northwest League-leading sixth save.
LET ME ROTO-ROOT FOR THE VIÑEROS
Game five of Tri-City and Spokane’s six-game series gets a 6:30 p.m. start time at Gesa Stadium, where postgame fireworks presented by Roto-Rooter will light the Tri-night sky. Right-hander Austin Gordon (1-1, 4.91 ERA) goes to the hill for the Viñeros, countered by southpaw Michael Prosecky (2-1, 2.86 ERA) of the Indians.
Free broadcast coverage (video in the MiLB Zone of Bally Sports Live, audio at dustdevilsbaseball.com and the MiLB app) of the game begins with the Dust Devils Pregame Show at 6:10 p.m.
A 1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon matinee closes out the series with Spokane, with the Dust Devils traveling west to Everett to take on the AquaSox at Funko Field in a six-game set beginning Tuesday, May 6th. Tri-City then returns home to host the Hillsboro Hops for six starting Tuesday, May 13th.
For tickets to this weekend’s games with Spokane, the upcoming Hillsboro homestand, and for all 2025 Dust Devils home games visit the official ticket site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.