Sunday, Jun. 28, 2009

Wild night costs Dust Devils as McAtee walks 7

By Jack Millikin, Herald staff writer

PASCO -- How quickly can you make seven walks, three wild pitches and four earned runs disappear?

Brad McAtee, the losing pitcher in Tri-City's 7-2 loss to Vancouver on Saturday at Gesa Stadium, didn't hesitate to answer that question.

"I've already forgotten about it," the 6-foot-5 right-hander said after taking his first loss of the season in a performance that eerily reflected some of his past troubles on the mound. "I felt like I was hesitant. I was probably aiming the ball a little too much."

McAtee, a 45th-round pick out of UC-Davis in 2008, tied for second among Northwest League pitchers last season with 45 walks and led the league with 15 wild pitches.

All of his earned runs Saturday were a result of walks or wild pitches.

But despite the numbers, teammates know this isn't the same McAtee as the one who struggled so mightily last season.

"McAtee was tremendous at the end of extended spring training," said Tri-City outfielder Kevin Clark. "He knows what he has to do. He's going to be fine."

The Canadians (4-4) took advantage of nine Dust Devils walks, five of which came around to score. And Tri-City (6-2) failed to capitalize on several offensive opportunities that could have put it back in the game.

With Tri-City trailing 1-0 in the first inning, Tim Wheeler stumbled while rounding third on a one-out single by Michael Zuanich and was thrown out at home by third baseman Wilfredo Sosa.

"That probably could have changed the game," said Dust Devils manager Fred Ocasio. "It was too late to stop him (after he stumbled). I thought he got in on the throw, but the umpire saw something else."

Vancouver led 5-0 after four innings, but Tri-City began to scratch back with an RBI double by Wheeler in the fifth, and then a wild pitch scored Clark in the sixth to make it 5-2.

The Dust Devils got a leadoff walk from Joey Wong in the seventh and a single to left by Orlando Sandoval, who led Tri-City with two hits. But Canadians reliever Kyle Christensen retired the next three batters -- Wheeler, Kent Matthes and Zuanich -- in order to end the threat.

Christensen (2-0) got the win after scattering four hits over three innings and allowing one run.

"They're a very good hitting team, and I thought our pitchers did a good job of exploiting their weakness," said Vancouver manager Rick Magnante. "We were fortunate to get the benefit of those walks and a few wild pitches. That's the first time we've had a lead like that all year."

One bright note for Tri-City was reliever Aaron Weatherford, who pitched a scoreless ninth by striking out the side on 11 pitches. He set down Nino Leyja, Kent Walton and Rashun Dixon -- the Canadians' 2-3-4 hitters -- in order.

"Weatherford threw the ball well," Ocasio said. "That's probably the best I've seen him throw in a while."

Notes

The announced attendance of 3,742 was the season's best crowd through the first five home games and the team's first sellout. The Dust Devils averaged 2,677 fans during the five-game homestand and cleared 3,000 fans three times. ... C/INF Chris Vasami will be out of the lineup for another 4-5 days with a bruised hand suffered during the Dust Devils' season-opening series in Boise.