Dust Devils rally to top AquaSox
Published 1:30 am Saturday, August 19, 2017
EVERETT — The postseason hopes of the Everett AquaSox took a hit Saturday.
The Tri-City Dust Devils came from behind to defeat the AquaSox 4-3 before 4,125 fans at Everett Memorial Stadium as the teams completed their four-game series with a split.
The Dust Devils (14-10 second half, 34-28) moved two games up on Everett (12-12, 29-33) in the second half standings for the final playoff spot.
Tri-City broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the eighth inning. Kelvin Melean reached on an error and Luis Asuncion followed with a double. Tre Carter was walked intentionally and then Melean scored on an RBI groundout by Chris Mattison.
The Frogs averted further damage when Adonis De La Cruz induced an inning-ending double play.
The Frogs had previously tied it when Joe Venturino’s seeing-eye single up the middle in the bottom of the seventh scored Aaron Stroosma and Jansiel Rivera to make it 3-3.
The AquaSox took the game’s first lead when they loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth. Greifer Andrade and Juan Camacho singled and Onil Pena walked. However, Manny Pazos followed with a shallow fly ball that forced the runners to hold.
Aaron Stroosma hit a ground ball seemingly destined for right field, but second baseman Matthew Batten made a diving stop and threw out Stroosma at first base as Andrade came home for the game’s first run.
Then Rivera struck out looking to end the inning as Everett stranded runners on second and third.
The Dust Devils answered the next half-inning. Chris Mattison led off with a single up the middle. Two outs later, Aldemar Burgos singled and Tyler Benson drove them both in with a double down the left-field line to give Tri-City a 2-1 lead.
Tri-City added another run in the top of the sixth. The Dust Devils had runners at the corners when Carter, the runner at first, broke for second. Luis Asuncion then ran home and beat the throw from Everett shortstop Chris Torres as Tri-City pushed its lead to 3-1.
Camcho, Rivera and Venturino each had two hits for Everett.
The AquaSox open a three-game series at Vancouver today at 5:05 p.m.
