Rooster Tails Speed Past AquaSox to Split Series

A stellar bullpen performance backing up early runs powered the Tri-City Dust Devils (11-19 2H) to a 4-1 win over the Everett AquaSox (13-17 2H) Sunday night at Gesa Stadium, causing a third split between the two teams in as many series in the 2024 season.

Held to one hit Saturday night the Dust Devils, playing one more time as the Columbia River Rooster Tails on hydroplane race weekend, put three hits and a pair of runs on the board in the bottom of the 1^st inning. LF Caleb Ketchup started the early rally when he lined a single up the middle and stole his league-leading 39^th base of the season, later advancing to third on a balk charged to Everett starter Shaddon Peavyhouse (2-6).

1B Matt Coutney then came up with two out in the frame and looped a ball to the grass in left-center, scoring Ketchup to break the ice. C Juan Flores followed with a double to left-center that brought Coutney in all the way from first to give Columbia River a 2-0 lead.

AquaSox 2B Michael Arroyo cut the lead in half with a long solo home run out to left off Rooster Tails starter Jorge Marcheco in the top of the 3^rd inning. The righty, continuing to build strength back after being slowed by an injury, went 2.2 innings and allowed just the one run on two hits with three strikeouts.

The Everett threat continued, with a fielding error on a single and a walk putting runners on the corners with two out. Reliever Jose Fermin (2-2) came in from the bullpen and got a big strikeout to end the top of the 3^rd and keep Columbia River’s 2-1 lead intact.

The Rooster Tails then stretched the lead back out in the bottom of the 3^rd, scoring without getting a hit. 3B Chad Stevens reached on an error and moved to third via a wild pitch and a groundout. Flores then drove in Stevens on a sacrifice fly, getting a second RBI and giving his team a 3-1 advantage. Stevens later put the finishing offensive touch on the night two innings later with a line drive solo home run to left, his seventh longball at the High-A level making it the 4-1 game that it would remain to the end.

Fermin controlled things on the mound, going 3.1 innings and striking out five. The big right-hander from the Dominican Republic allowed only one baserunner, on a walk, and retired ten of the 11 AquaSox batters he faced. Fellow bullpen members Ryan Langford (scoreless 7^th), Jake Smith (two outs in the 8^th) and closer Luke Murphy (final four outs, 5^th save) handled the rest for a win that not only split the six-game series but evened the season series between the two clubs at nine games apiece.

The Tri-City Dust Devils return to the field Tuesday night north of the border, making their second visit to Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium for a six-game series with the Vancouver Canadians. Tuesday through Thursday’s games, as well as Saturday’s contest, will begin at 7:05 p.m. with 1:05 p.m. matinees scheduled for Friday and Sunday.

Broadcast coverage of the series opener will begin with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday night both here and on the MiLB app.

Tri-City will return from Vancouver to host the Spokane Indians for a six-game set beginning Tuesday, August 6, at Gesa Stadium. Tickets for the Spokane series 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.