Tri-City Splits Twin Bill, Clinches Series Win over Everett

1B Gabe Matthews blasted a go-ahead 7^th inning home run on a cool, wet night at Funko Field, providing the difference for the Tri-City Dust Devils (12-13) in a 2-1 win over the Everett AquaSox (12-13) in game two of a Saturday doubleheader.

Matthews squared up a full-count pitch from Everett reliever Peyton Alford (0-1), sending it deep over the right field wall for his second home run of 2023. The longball also was Matthews’ first hit this season off a left-handed pitcher.

The home run also put Tri-City starter Bryce Osmond (1-3) in position for his first professional win, following his best outing of 2023. The righty from Tulsa, Oklahoma gave his team a quality start, going six innings and giving up one run on three hits while striking out and walking three.

Kelvin Caceres struck out the side in the bottom of the 7^th for his second save of the year.

The win clinched three firsts for the Dust Devils, including its first series win of 2023. It also assured the team of its first win of a six-game road series since April 19-24, 2022, when Tri-City took four of six from the AquaSox in Everett. Finally, the win was the team’s first comeback win of 2023, after trailing 1-0 through two innings.

The Dust Devils’ first run in game two came on another clutch two-out hit from 2B Arol Vera, a 3^rd inning single to right that scored SS Osmy Gregorio from second to tie the game at 1-1. The two also combined in the field in the bottom of the 3^rd, turning a double play on a line drive to end the inning.

As well, Tri-City got more hits from the bottom of the order, with both LF Steven Rivas and C Gustavo Campero putting together multi-hit games. Also, game two marked the High-A debut of 3B Werner Blakely, who joined the team after a month on the injured list.

Game one went the way of the home side, with the AquaSox getting the best of the Dust Devils by a 7-2 score to end Tri-City’s four-game winning streak.

The Dust Devils grabbed a 1-0 1^st inning lead in game one via a successful double steal by RF Joe Stewart and DH Adrian Placencia. Placencia, who doubled for the team’s first hit of the day, scored from third after Stewart safely swiped second.

Everett put together two big innings, though, on young righty Caden Dana (0-1), scoring three runs in the 2^nd and four in the 4^th and tagging Dana for three home runs at its offense-friendly confines. Dana struck out six and walked only one, but the AquaSox’s first homers of the series proved too much to overcome.

Tri-City grabbed its second run of game one in the top of the 7^th via an Osmy Gregorio RBI double, scoring LF Alexander Ramirez. Reliever Nathan Burns threw two scoreless frames to cover the remainder.

The Dust Devils will try to get back to .500 in the series finale of the six-gamer at 4:05 p.m. Sunday at Funko Field. Righty Jack Kochanowicz (1-0, 2.04 ERA) starts for Tri-City, while Everett will send its Tuesday starter, righty Jordan Jackson (0-1, 11.57 ERA) to the hill for his second start of the series. Broadcast coverage begins with the pregame show at 3:45 p.m., both here and at the MiLB First Pitch app.

Following Sunday’s game, the Dust Devils return home for a two-week homestand beginning Tuesday, May 9^th, against the Eugene Emeralds. It’s another Coca-Cola Tuesday, with 21 oz. Coke products for $2 all night.

Tickets for the upcoming homestand are on sale, including for the Mother’s Day Baseball Brunch on Sunday, May 14^th. Also, special ticket rates are available for groups of 20 or more. For more information on Dust Devils single game, season, mini-plan (11, 22, 33) and group tickets, visit dustdevilsbaseball.com, call the team office at (509) 544-8789, or visit the team office (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on game nights, or Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. otherwise).