Sheckler Shackles Hops

After three days of pitchers' duels, the Tri-City Dust Devils broke out offensively Monday night in a rout of Hillsboro. And they still got a strong pitching performance to boot.
Six-foot-eight lefthander Ben Sheckler limited Hillsboro to two hits and no runs, allowing just three baserunners over seven innings and the Tri-City Dust Devils provided plenty of run support in a 10-1 win over the Hillsboro Hops Monday night at Gesa Stadium in Pasco, Washington.

The Dust Devils outhit the Hops 10-3 and maintained a share of first place in the NWL North Division, improving to 11-8 in the second half and 31-26 overall. The Hops are still in a three-way tie for first in the South at 9-10 as both Boise and Eugene lost Monday.
Tra Holmes doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Camden Duzenack in the eighth inning. With Holmes at third base, Duzenack hit a towering fly ball to left field that Tyler Benson dropped at the warning track.
Tyler Vail took the loss, allowing eight hits and five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and two walks. With the Hops trailing 4-0, Vail struck out the first two batters in the sixth before hitting Josh Magee with a 3-2 pitch.
Jose Martinez came on in relief and walked leadoff batter Tyler Benson before surrendering a three-run homer to 17-year-old shortstop Luis Almanzar, his second of the season.
Martinez walked three more batters and hit another in the seventh, giving up three more runs as the Devils pulled away.
Benson finished with two hits, two RBI and two runs scored, reaching base four times. Magee also reached base three times for Tri-City, scoring three runs without an official at bat after walking three times and getting hit once. Aldemar Burgos was 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored.
The Dust Devils had a two-out base hit in each of the first six innings, netting six of their first seven runs. The Hops went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Duzenack and Luis Lara each had a hit and a walk.
The teams wrap up the series at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday night with a pair of sixth-round picks from the 2017 draft squaring off on the mound. Lefthander Aaron Leasher (Morehead St.) makes his Tri-City debut against Hillsboro's Brian Shaffer (Maryland). Pregame airtime is at 6:45 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620 AM.