Tri-City Dust Devils Bats, Pitching Crush Hillsboro Hops 9-0
It was a tale of two cities. For the Tri-Cities Dust Devils, it was the best of times. For the Hillsboro Hops, it was the worst of times. Between the dominating pitching and the formidable bats, the Dust Devils had their way with the Hops, 9-0. The Dust Devils would fail to score in only two innings, pecking away with one run at a time until four runs in the seventh removed any doubt.
Angel Mejia (2-2) started for the Dust Devils and went six innings for the win allowing no runs on six hits. Louis Distasio and Samuel Holland combined for the last three innings allowing only one hit and struck out four.
Jared Miller (7-2), the starting pitcher for the Northwest League in next week’s All-Star Game, lasted five innings for the loss. Miller allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and struck out five.
The first run came in the second when Austin Allen sent his first pro home run over the right-center fence. There was no one on board.
Justin Pacchioli started the third with a walk on four straight pitches. Rod Boykin grounded out to short stop Sergio Alcantara advancing Pacchioli to second. Ty France poked a single thru the left side hole to score Pacchioli.
Another run came in the fifth. Justin Pacchioli knocked a hard grounder off Nate Robertson’s glove and the throw to first was late for an infield hit. Rod Boykin sacrificed back to the pitcher’s mound advancing Pacchioli to second. Ty France hit a hard fly ball over right fielder Stephen Dezzi’s head for a double scoring Pacchioli.
Carlos Belen led off the sixth with a walk on four straight pitches. Jose Carlos Urena followed with a hard hit double to right field scoring Belen all the way from first.
It was the seventh that proved to be the biggest blow. Rod Boykin led off with an infield single to third. Peter Van Gansen blooped a single to left. Ty France walked on a full count to load the bases. A Will Landsheft wild pitch scored Boykin. Jose Carlos Urena hit an infield single that scored Van Gansen. Austin Allen was hit by a pitch to load the bases again. Mason Smith hit a speeding grounder under Sergio Alcantara’s glove to score France and Urena.
The Dust Devils would score one more insurance run in the eighth. Peter Van Gansen tripled past center fielder Galli Cribbs and to the warning track. After Ty France walked to put runners at the corners, Carlos Belen singled through the left side to score Van Gansen for the final score of 9-0.
For the second night in a row, the Dust Devils had plenty of offensive heroes. Peter Van Gansen went 3 for 5 scoring three runs and a triple. Jose Carlos Urena went went 2 for 5, scored a run, a double and had two RBI. Ty France went 2 for 3 scoring a run, a double and two RBI
For the Hops, Alexis Olmeda went 2 for 3. Both Fernery Ozuna and Nate Robertson had a double.
The Tri Cities Dust devils (3-2) are all alone in first for the North Division. The Hillsboro Hops (2-3) fall to two games behind both Eugene and Salem-Keizer in the South. Game four of the five-game series is Saturday night. The Dust Devils lead the series 2-1.
All-Star note: it was announced that the Hops Zach Nehrir, the starting center fielder for the NW League All-Star team, will not be able to play due to an injured wrist.
By Greg Stoker
@GDStoker
