EUGENE -- Perhaps two nights in a row is too much to ask.
One night after trailing 3-1 to the Eugene Emeralds in their last at-bat before rallying to win, the Tri-City Dust Devils found themselves in the exact situation again Wednesday.
This time, though, the Ems were up to the task.
Chris Fetter limited the Dust Devils to one hit while striking out eight in four dominating innings of relief -- including a 1-2-3 ninth -- to help Eugene snap a five-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory.
Fetter and starter Nicholas Greenwood (4-0) were a potent 1-2 pitching punch against
Tri-City (27-18), which managed just four hits on the night and struck out 12 times.
The Emeralds (19-26) scored a run in the first and second innings. The Dust Devils, who left runners at second and third in the second inning, finally got on the board in the fourth.
Back-to-back walks and an error loaded the bases, and Jose Gonzalez lifted a sacrifice fly to center. But after the remaining runners moved up on a double steal, they were left stranded on an inning-ending strikeout.
Tri-City had just two baserunners the rest of the night, with only one getting as far as second.
The Dust Devils' pitchers acquitted themselves well, with starter Rob Scahill (0-2) giving up just two runs --one earned -- and walking none in four innings.
Kyle Walker threw two shutout innings in relief.
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The Northwest League All-Star team is due out this week, and the playoff-bound Tri-City Dust Devils should earn a few spots on the team. One thing the NWL doesn’t have is a defensive award. If it did, the Dust Devils certainly would grab another healthy handful of honors.
Dust Devils drop Game 1 of NWL finals
Dust Devils drop Game 1 of NWL finals
PASCO -- The Tri-City Dust Devils hopped on a bus for Vancouver, British Columbia, late Friday night after their 6-3 Game 1 loss to the Vancouver Canadians in the Northwest League Championship Series at Gesa Stadium.
Along with their bats, gloves and spikes, the Dust Devils hoped to carry a win across the border. Instead, they might need to pack a miracle or two, as they need to win both games at Nat Bailey Stadium to earn their first NWL championship.
"We've got to go up there and win two," said Tri-City manager Fred Ocasio. "They came in and beat us at home, but we're capable of doing the same thing."
Dust Devils head to NWL championship series
Dust Devils head to NWL championship series
PASCO -- The Tri-City Dust Devils have been able to hold champagne celebrations in the clubhouse twice this season.
First, the Dust Devils did it in late July after clinching the first-half title in the Northwest League East Division. They did it again Tuesday after a 9-1 win over Boise to win the NWL Divisional Playoff series at Gesa Stadium.
They're counting on getting good and happy one final time, hopefully to commemorate Tri-City's first Northwest League championship since 1984. The Tri-City Triplets were the last team from Tri-Cities to win the NWL title. The Tri-City Posse, an independent team, won the Western Baseball League championship in 1999.
Dust Devils skid at 3 after loss in Vancouver
Dust Devils skid at 3 after loss in Vancouver
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The Tri-City Dust Devils' pitching staff came up with another gem Friday at Nat Bailey Stadium in British Columbia, holding the Vancouver Canadians to just two runs on five hits.
Problem was, the Dust Devils (17-13) couldn't find any offense to support it. Tri-City finished the game with 10 runners left on base, leaving runners in scoring position in five of the nine innings.
Kevin Patterson hit an RBI triple to center field in the first inning, and Stephen McQuail followed with an RBI double to left to make it 2-0 Vancouver.
Dust Devils rally to beat Bears
Dust Devils rally to beat Bears
Minor league baseball sometimes can be an exercise in chaos, and the teams that handle it best usually come out on top.
The Tri-City Dust Devils turned potential bedlam into a big break during a 3-1 win over the Yakima Bears on Thursday at Gesa Stadium, keeping the Dust Devils tied for the best overall record in the Northwest League this season.
Tri-City, which won the East Division first-half championship, kept pace with Eugene, the first-half champ in the West, for the league's best record at 36-25. The Dust Devils also increased their second-half East lead to three games over Boise.
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