Sweet Sixteen: Dust Devils Blow Out Hops to Take Series
PASCO – Big swings in bases loaded opportunities piled up a pack of runs for the Tri-City Dust Devils (9-6) Sunday afternoon, and starter Yeferson Vargas backed them with a seven-inning gem in a 16-3 win over the Hillsboro Hops (6-9) that clinched a four-games-to-two series win for manager Dann
PASCO – Big swings in bases loaded opportunities piled up a pack of runs for the Tri-City Dust Devils (9-6) Sunday afternoon, and starter Yeferson Vargas backed them with a seven-inning gem in a 16-3 win over the Hillsboro Hops (6-9) that clinched a four-games-to-two series win for manager Dann Bilardello’s team.
Vargas (2-0) went seven scoreless and one-hit innings despite not striking out a single batter, walking two but working around them while pitching to contact and letting his defense do the work. The righty from the Dominican Republic induced 12 groundballs for outs, with a double play capping the 3rd inning and Vargas not allowing a hitter to reach base from there.
Hillsboro pitching struggled from the start to find the strike zone, beginning with starter Caden Grice (0-1) who walked the bases loaded to begin the bottom of the 1st. C Juan Flores came up and emptied the bases with a three-run double to the wall in left-center that gave Tri-City a 3-0 lead through an inning.
The floodgates opened in the bottom of the 3rd, where the Dust Devils scored nine runs on only four hits. 3B Caleb Bartolero, RF Randy De Jesus and CF Jorge Ruiz drew walks to load the bases again, and DH Gage Harrelson started the nine-spot with an RBI single to left, scoring Bartolero for a 4-0 lead. SS Johan Macias drew a bases loaded walk to make it 5-0, and 2B Capri Ortiz legged out an infield hit to get De Jesus home and push the lead to 6-0. Flores came back up and grounded a ball through the left side for a two-run single, making it 8-0, and then Bartolero walked a second time in the inning to bring De Jesus back up. The big righty launched a ball over the wall in left-center for the team’s first grand slam of the year. The 420-foot blast ended up the cherry on top, and Tri-City led 12-0 through three.
Three more runs came in in the bottom of the 7th, where Ruiz struck an RBI single to left for a 13-0 lead. LF Kevin Bruggeman sent a sacrifice fly to right and Macias took a second bases loaded walk to make it 15-0. The Hops scored three in the 8th to end the shutout bid, but De Jesus scalded an RBI double down the left field line in the bottom of the 8th to cap both a five-RBI game and the Dust Devils series win. A total and complete effort powered the Tri-City attack, with all nine in the lineup either scoring a run or driving one in. Six Dust Devils scored multiple runs, with Caleb Bartolero scoring four times.
C Juan Flores joined Randy De Jesus in putting together a five-RBI day. Sunday marked the first time Tri-City has had two players drive in at least five runs in the same game since July 6, 2011, when LF Tyler Massey (6 RBI) and 1B Jordan Ribera (5 RBI) accomplished the feat in a 13-2 win over Spokane at Avista Stadium.
BACK TO NORTH OF THE BORDER
Tri-City heads north and west to take on the Vancouver Canadians in a six-game series beginning at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday night at Nat Bailey Stadium. Wednesday and Thursday’s games also have a 7:05 p.m. start, with games Friday through Sunday scheduled for 1:05 p.m. afternoon contests. Pitching matchups have yet to be announced.
Free broadcast coverage on the MiLB app and dustdevilsbaseball.com will begin with the Dust Devils Pregame Show, starting 20 minutes before first pitch. Fans can also watch the games for free (Vancouver broadcast) on Bally Sports Live, and via subscription on MLB.tv and the MiLB app.
Tri-City then returns home for a series with the Everett AquaSox beginning Tuesday, April 28 on Bark in the Park Night. For tickets for the Everett series, as well as all 2026 Dust Devils home games, visit the official ticket site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.