Tri-City Holds On to Beat Eugene
EUGENE – The Tri-City Dust Devils (15-19 2H, 50-50) got another strong pitching performance from starter Jose Atencio Friday night and scraped together enough runs for a 3-2 win over the Eugene Emeralds (19-15 2H, 61-39) at PK Park that gave the visitors their first win of the week. Atencio
EUGENE – The Tri-City Dust Devils (15-19 2H, 50-50) got another strong pitching performance from starter Jose Atencio Friday night and scraped together enough runs for a 3-2 win over the Eugene Emeralds (19-15 2H, 61-39) at PK Park that gave the visitors their first win of the week.
Atencio (2-3) went 5.1 innings and gave up two runs, one each in the 5th and 6th innings while holding Eugene off the board in the first four innings. That gave his team time to get into the run manufacturing business, beginning in the top of the 3rd. CF Gage Harrelson drew a one-out walk, advancing to second on a slow groundout and getting third base on a balk charged to Emeralds starter Niko Mazza (6-5). 3B David Mershon then lined a single to right, bringing Harrelson in for a 1-0 lead.
The Dust Devils then put up a pair of runs in the 5th, again with the aid of small ball. Harrelson again led off the inning with a walk, with a sacrifice bunt by LF Jorge Ruiz moving him to second with one out. Harrelson then stole third with Mershon at the plate, bringing the infield in. Mershon grounded a ball to Eugene 2B Zane Zielinski, with Harrelson beating the throw and tag home for a second run and a 2-0 lead. The RBI fielder’s choice put Mershon at first, from which he would get to third on a one-out single by 1B Ryan Nicholson. RF Randy De Jesus then chopped a ball to third, allowing Mershon to score on the RBI groundout and a 3-0 lead.
Reliever Dylan Phillips fought through a pair of walks, the second with the bases loaded, to keep Tri-City in the lead going to the 7th. Fellow lefty Nicolo Pinazzi threw two perfect innings, with three strikeouts, to get the game to the bottom of the 9th. Sam Tookoian then navigated some wildness, walking three and hitting a batter but using a well-timed double play and a flyout to secure the win and his 13th save.
DUST DEVILS NOTES
-Four Dust Devils with streaks of at least six games extended them at the plate Friday: C Peter Burns (7-game hit), David Mershon (8-game hit), Ryan Nicholson (14-game on-base + 3-game hit) and Jorge Ruiz (8-game hit).
-Tri-City finished the month of July with a record of 11-13, rebounding from a tough start to the month to keep the team at an overall .500 record through its first 100 games.
-Northwest League action on Friday included a traditional Friday afternoon game at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium, where the Spokane Indians claimed a 7-5, 10-inning victory from the Vancouver Canadians. Extra innings also took place at Hops Ballpark, where the Hillsboro Hops got past the Everett AquaSox 3-2 in 11 innings. The Dust Devils gained a game in the Second Half playoff race, sitting four games back of first with 31 games left.
DO IT AGAIN
Tri-City and Eugene clash in game five of their six-game set at 5:05 p.m. Saturday evening at PK Park. Right-hander Tyler Bremner (1-4, 4.36 ERA), coming off his first professional win in his last start, takes the ball for the Dust Devils. Righty Cade Vernon (6-2, 4.06 ERA), who entered the rotation in July after working from the bullpen, goes to the mound for the Emeralds.
Free broadcast coverage on the MiLB app and dustdevilsbaseball.com will begin with the Dust Devils Pregame Show at 4:45 p.m. Fans can also watch the games for free on Bally Sports Live (Eugene broadcast), and via subscription on MLB.tv and the MiLB app.
The Dust Devils then return Tuesday, August 4, for a six-game series with the Hillsboro Hops. For tickets to the set with the Hops, as well as all 2026 Dust Devils home games, visit the official ticket site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.