Sunday, Jul. 05, 2009

Volcanoes cool off Dust Devils

HERALD STAFF

KEIZER, Ore. -- The Tri-City Dust Devils had their six-game winning streak snapped Saturday after Dan Cook's groundball trickled off Joseph Sanders' glove at third base and found its way into left field, scoring Brooks Lindsley from second base for a 4-3 Volcanoes' win.

"(Sanders) tried to get to it, and he almost made the play," said Dust Devils manager Fred Ocasio. "We didn't swing the bats well. We scored three runs in the second inning, but after that we couldn't get anything going."

Tri-City (12-3) continued its best start ever and maintained a five-game lead over Yakima (7-8) in the East Division standings. The Bears lost 3-2 to Everett as the West Division swept all four Northwest League matchups.

The loss was also the Dust Devils' first road loss in seven games this season.

Scott Beerer put Tri-City on the board first, smashing a two-run home run to right field -- his first of the season -- to give the Dust Devils a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Kevin Clark then singled, stole second, advanced to third on a balk and scored on Sanders' groundout to shortstop to make it 3-0.

Tri-City starter Rob Scahill blanked Salem-Keizer through the first three innings but allowed a pair of RBI doubles to C.J. Ziegler and Drew Biery in the fifth as the Volcanoes cut the lead to 3-2.

S-K tied the score at 3 in the seventh, when Ziegler hit a leadoff double and scored on a groundout to shortstop by Dan Cook.

Andrew Bowlin (1-1) picked up the win for the Volcanoes, allowing a hit and a walk during a scoreless ninth inning. Dust Devils' reliever Rhett Ballard (1-1) took the loss despite giving up just one hit and one walk in 21/3 innings.

Beerer, the NWL Player of the Week for June 20-27, continued his hot start. Beerer went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs, though his average actually dropped to .588.