Four-Spots Secure Series Split for Tri-City

Back-to-back four-run innings proved more than enough support Sunday afternoon for the Tri-City Dust Devils (5-10), who took a 9-3 victory over the Hillsboro Hops (6-9) at Hillsboro Ballpark to split the teams’ six-game series.

Tri-City first struck for four in the 2^nd inning, chasing Hillsboro starter Joe Elbis (0-1) by taking advantage of free passes he issued with three hits in the inning. DH Alberto Rios began things by drawing a one-out walk, and RF Joe Stewart was hit by an Elbis pitch to put two on. C Ronaldo Flores, whose only hit coming into the game had been an RBI double, added another by lining a ball down the right field line. Rios and Stewart both scored to give the Dust Devils a 2-0 lead.

The scoring continued with two outs on back-to-back RBI singles by LF Jorge Ruiz and SS Denzer Guzman, giving the visitors a 4-0 lead through an inning and a half. A sacrifice fly by the Hops’ 2B Manny Peña got a run back for the home side, but Tri-City led 4-1 through two innings.

No let-up came from the Dust Devils offense in the 3^rd, putting up four more runs to grab an 8-1 lead. 1B Matt Coutney led off the inning with a double to the gap in right-center off Hillsboro reliever Shane Telfer, who then lost a pitch inside to 3B Will McGillis that struck the Tri-City infielder on the hand. McGillis left the game, replaced by infielder Andy Blake.

Alberto Rios then came back up, lining an RBI double to the left-center gap that scored Coutney for a 5-1 lead and moved Blake up to third. Joe Stewart walked to load the bases, and Ronaldo Flores picked up a third RBI on the day on a groundout that scored Blake to make it 6-1. 2B Caleb Ketchup then singled sharply through a drawn-in infield to plate Rios, and a Jorge Ruiz groundout brought Stewart home for an 8-1 Dust Devils advantage.

Reliever Carlos Espinosa (2-0) earned the win for Tri-City by throwing two scoreless innings of relief. Starter Erik Rivera had his best start at the High-A level, going four-plus innings and giving up two runs on five hits while striking out four Hops. The lefty from Caguas, Puerto Rico started the 5^th inning three outs shy of his first pro win but gave up a hit which ended his day.

Hillsboro scored twice in the bottom of the 5^th to bring themselves within five at 8-3, but the Dust Devils came right back with a run in the 6^th to re-extend the lead. Denzer Guzman singled to lead off the inning and advanced to third base with two outs. Andy Blake, who had reached via fielder’s choice, stole second and drew a low throw that hopped into center field. Guzman jogged home for the ninth and final run of the day.

Both Brady Choban and Cam Minacci came in from the bullpen and threw scoreless innings to finish the game out, with Minacci getting the final three outs.

Denzer Guzman finished the day 3-for-5, his third three-hit game of the series for Tri-City. Alberto Rios and Joe Stewart both scored twice, and Ronaldo Flores drove in three Dust Devils via his double and groundout in the team’s two big innings.

Tri-City, now 3-0 on Sundays in 2024, comes home to begin a two-week homestand that starts with six games against the Everett AquaSox, High-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The series begins with a late Tuesday afternoon matchup scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. first pitch. It’s a Coca-Cola Tuesday, with 21 oz. Coke products available for $2.50 throughout the game.

Broadcast coverage of Tuesday’s game will begin with the pregame show at 3:10 p.m, both here and on the MiLB app.

Tickets for the homestand are on sale now, with special ticket rates 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 the team’s official ticketing site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.