Rooster Tails Felled by Canadians in Return from Break

PASCO – Late threats gave the Tri-City Dust Devils (9-13 2H, 44-44) opportunities to pull the Friday night opener out of the fire, but the Vancouver Canadians (11-11 2H, 38-50) held them off in a 5-1 win for the visitors at Gesa Stadium.

Playing as the Columbia River Rooster Tails, the home nine had to wait until their last at-bat to get on the board. 3B Harold Coll and 1B Matt Coutney both walked to lead off the bottom of the 9^th inning, and a one-out RBI double to the warning track in right by DH Aaron Graeber scored Coll to put the lone run on the board. The Rooster Tails ended up a runner shy of bringing the potential tying run to the plate in the 9^th, an inning after loading the bases in a 2-0 game in the 8^th and having the big hit elude them.

Starter Jose Atencio (0-3) gave his team a quality start, going six innings and giving up only two runs and five hits but getting no run support in taking the loss. Relievers Keythel Key and Nicolo Pinazzi added scoreless innings of relief.

Canadians starter Holden Wilkerson (5-7) wrote the pitching story of the night, throwing 5.2 scoreless and hitless innings in his best start of the season. The Virginian righty allowed only one baserunner, a leadoff walk of Coutney in the 5^th inning, and struck out seven in earning the win. Reliever Jonathan Todd struggled a bit in the 9^th but got the save, having come in to get the final out of the 8^th.

Vancouver put the big distance between themselves and Tri-City in the top of the 9^th, scoring three runs to move a 2-0 lead to 5-0. Canadians 1B Peyton Williams had a huge night, starting his evening with a solo home run to open the scoring in the top of the 2^nd and finishing a triple shy of the cycle in a 4-for-4 night.

ROOSTER TAILS NOTES

-Aaron Graeber had hits in his last two at-bats, with his 2-for-4 night providing half of his team’s four hits. LF Jorge Ruiz ended Vancouver’s no-hit bid with two outs in the 6^th inning, and Matt Coutney rolled a single through the right side in the 7^th.

-A transaction before the ballgame brought 1B Ryan Nicholson back to Tri-City, where he’s expected to be in the lineup Saturday. The lefty hit .219 with three home runs and 18 RBI in 20 games at Triple-A Salt Lake, where he ably filled in for Bees 1B Niko Kavadas while he recovered from injury.

-Around the Northwest League, the Eugene Emeralds came back from an early 2-0 deficit to beat Hillsboro 6-2 at PK Park. The loss sent the Hops to a 1-13 record in their last 14 games. Up north and east, the Everett AquaSox took down the Spokane Indians 11-3 at Avista Stadium, bringing the two teams even at the top of the Northwest League Second Half standings.

BREMNER’S BACK

Tri-City and Vancouver meet in game two of their three-game series at 7:05 p.m. Saturday night at Gesa Stadium, where it’s Princess Night at the ballpark. Storybook princesses will be at the park, both to greet and for photo opportunities. As well, postgame fireworks will light the sky above the Tri.

Right-hander Tyler Bremner (0-3, 4.24 ERA), the top prospect in the Angels organization, takes the mound for the Dust Devils, who will again play as the Rooster Tails. The Canadians will give the ball to right-hander Troy Guthrie, who will make his High-A debut.

Free broadcast coverage on the MiLB app and dustdevilsbaseball.com will begin with the Dust Devils Pregame Show at 6:45 p.m. Fans can also watch the games for free on Bally Sports Live, and via subscription on MLB.tv and the MiLB app.

After the game Tri-City begins a two-week road trip that starts in Spokane Valley and ends in Eugene, with the Dust Devils returning Tuesday, August 4 for a six-game set with the Hillsboro Hops. For tickets to the weekend’s contests with Vancouver, as well as all 2026 Dust Devils home games, visit the official ticket site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.