PASCO — For the most part, the Everett AquaSox’s season-opening five-game series against the Tri-City Dust Devils can be labeled a success.
However, Tuesday’s series finale was not Everett’s day.
The Sox managed just three hits as they were shut out by the Dust Devils 6-0 in a rare Northwest League day game.
Despite the loss, Everett won the series 3-2. The Sox return home Wednesday night for their home opener against Spokane at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Tri-City pitchers Ryan Arrowhead, Chris Dennis and Brook Hart combined to silence Everett’s bats. The Dust Devils hurlers didn’t allow a runner to advance past second base. Dennis was credited with the win thanks to three scoreless innings of relief.
Jordan Ribera went 3-for-5 with three RBI to lead Tri-City’s offense.
Michael Faulkner was the only Everett batter to solve Tri-City’s pitching, going 2-for-3.
Everett starting pitcher Jose Valdivia, making his Northwest League debut, threw four solid innings. He allowed one run on four hits and one walk, striking out four. However, he received no offensive support and was saddled with the loss.
After three quick innings, the Dust Devils opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth. Valdivia got himself into a jam when he gave up a leadoff single to Ribera, then hit both Francisco Sosa and Tom Murphy with pitches, loading the bases with nobody out. Valdivia got Matt Argyropoulos to bounce into a double play, diffusing the situation, but Ribera scored on the play to give Tri-City a 1-0 lead.
The Dust Devils doubled their lead in the fifth, again thanks to some help from the Sox. Errors by second baseman Jamodrick McGruder and reliever Marcos Reyna put runners on first and second with nobody out. After a sacrifice bunt by former Snohomish Panther Derek Jones, Ribera singled home Joey Wong to make it 2-0.
Tri-City tacked on one more run in the seventh when Argyropoulos’ sacrifice fly to right drove in Sosa to make it 3-0.
The Dust Devils put the game away in the eighth. Ribera doubled to right to drive in two runs, then scored on Anthony Aguilera’s infield single to complete the scoring.
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