Tri-City a Run Shy in Spokane
A two-out RBI single by LF Alexander Ramirez forced a late tie Friday night between the Inland Northwest rivals, but the Tri-City Dust Devils (17-29 2H, 51-61) saw the Spokane Indians (21-25 2H, 54-57) get their own late hit to hand the visitors a 4-3 loss at Avista Stadium. All
A two-out RBI single by LF Alexander Ramirez forced a late tie Friday night between the Inland Northwest rivals, but the Tri-City Dust Devils (17-29 2H, 51-61) saw the Spokane Indians (21-25 2H, 54-57) get their own late hit to hand the visitors a 4-3 loss at Avista Stadium.
All nine Tri-City hitters, including Ramirez, had a base knock and 1B Matt Coutney went 2 for 4 on the night. The Dust Devils scored twice in the 3rd inning to provide the bulk of their offense, with an RBI double by CF D’Shawn Knowles scoring Coutney and a long single off the short wall in right by 2B Adrian Placencia bringing Knowles around to get Tri-City within a run at 3-2.
Lefty starter Nick Horvath maneuvered around Spokane’s three-run 2nd inning to give his club five solid innings, getting some defensive help via a great double play in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Indians 3B Parker Kelly tried to smash a line drive through a drawn-in Dust Devils infield, but SS Arol Vera dove to his right to snare it and then flipped it to 3B Andy Blake to double off a runner at third to end the threat.
An inning later, a relay from the outfield kept another Spokane run off the board. C Ronaiker Palma had singled to keep the inning going, and DH Jamari Baylor popped a ball into smoky skies in right center. Neither Knowles nor RF Joe Stewart could make the catch, but Stewart fired to Placencia, and Placencia to Tri-City C Caleb Pendleton, who tagged Palma out at the plate to keep it a 3-2 game.
It stayed that way until the 8th, when Placencia drew a one-out walk and Vera singled with two out to move Placencia to third. Indians closer Angel Chivilli (4-8) was called on for the save but Ramirez had other ideas, lining the first pitch he saw to center to score Placencia and tie the game at 3-3.
Dust Devils reliever Will Christophersen (0-2) had taken over from Horvath, throwing scoreless 6th and 7th innings. The Iowan righty gave up a one-out single to Kelly and induced a fly out off the bat of 2B Nic Kent. Tri-City manager Jack Howell went to lefty Dylan Phillips to try to retire a fellow southpaw, Spokane RF Robby Martin, Jr. It was not to be, as Martin, Jr., lined the first pitch he saw through the right side to score Kelly and give Spokane its 4-3 lead.
Chivilli then remained in the game to get the final three outs and clinch the win, giving his team a three-games-to-one series lead over the Dust Devils. Indians starter Victor Juarez gave his team a quality start, going six innings and striking out nine, but got a no-decision.
Game five of the Tri-City/Spokane series is slated for a 7:05 p.m. start Saturday night at Gesa Stadium. Right-hander Bryce Osmond (3-7, 3.81 ERA) has been announced as the Dust Devils starter, with left-hander Carson Palmquist (7-2, 3.73 ERA) projected for the Indians.
Broadcast coverage begins with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m., both here and at the MiLB First Pitch app.
After the Spokane series Tri-City will return to Gesa Stadium Tuesday, August 22 for a six-game set with the Everett AquaSox. Tickets for both the Everett series and all games 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 dustdevilsbaseball.com, call the team office at (509) 544-8789, or visit the team office (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on game nights, or Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. otherwise).