YAKIMA -- Coming off 13 shutout innings the previous night and two innings into a scoreless game, the Tri-City Dust Devils seemed well on their way Thursday night to possibly matching a 25-inning drought they recently ended.
Just in time, though, the Northwest League East Division leaders broke out their big bats to avoid taking a big loss.
Tim Wheeler tripled in a run in the third inning and Kent Matthes slugged his second home run of the summer to lead the Dust Devils to a 3-0 shutout of the Yakima Bears at County Stadium.
The offensive outburst was well timed, as Tri-City (31-22) was held without a hit over the final five innings.
The Dust Devils took two of three off the Bears (19-34), with both wins coming via shutouts, and will complete their eight-game road trip with five games in Vancouver, starting at 7:05 p.m. today.
Dust Devils starter Josh Hungerman (1-0) got the win via five four-hit, four-strikeout innings. Charles Ruiz worked a one-hit ninth for his Northwest League-leading 13th save in 14 chances.
"He's been pretty much automatic in those situations," said Tri-City manager Fred Ocasio, whose team had lost three of four. "We've stuggled some with our offense lately. Early in the season we were scoring a lot of runs, but every team hits a flat spot at some time during a season.
"With our pitching, though, we feel like we'll be in every game."
The Dust Devils were coming off their third shutout in four games. While Tri-City entered Thursday's contest ranked seventh among the eight NWL teams in batting average (.257 to No. 8 Yakima's .254), its pitching staff was second in ERA (3.78) to Salem-Keizer.
Joey Wong got things going in the third inning with a one-out single before Wheeler smacked his second triple.
In the fourth, Bo Bowman led off with a double, followed by Matthes' wind-blown, opposite-field homer that carried just inside the right-field foul pole.
The Bears managed but six singles off four Tri-City pitchers -- with two of Brent Greer's three base hits of the infield variety.
Compounding the Bears' offensive struggles was the exit of Clayton Conner, who led the league in homers (nine) and RBIs (39) before being called up to South Bend after Sunday's game with Boise.
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Dust Devils finish off 3-game home sweep of Bears
Dust Devils finish off 3-game home sweep of Bears
It's been a trying summer for Tri-City outfielder Jaron Shepherd.
The 2011 draft pick came into Saturday's game against Yakima hitting just .250 with two extra base hits and two RBIs.
That all changed in a hurry, as the speedy right fielder had his first career three-hit game, leading the Dust Devils to a 7-2 victory in Northwest League action.
Dust Devils' offense missing vs. Volcanoes
Dust Devils' offense missing vs. Volcanoes
PASCO -- The Tri-City Dust Devils had an opportunity to give Salem-Keizer some trouble Wednesday night at Gesa Stadium.
Trailing by four entering the ninth inning, the Dust Devils loaded the bases with nobody out against Volcanoes reliever Cody Hall.
But Hall struck out Jayson Langfels and David Hernandez before Phil McCormick came in to induce a game-ending groundout by Brian Humphries to clinch the Volcanoes' 4-0 Northwest League win.
Plenty to cheer after Dust Devils' fine year
Plenty to cheer after Dust Devils' fine year
The Tri-City Dust Devils will feel the sting for a while.
To come within one game of a Northwest League title only to fall short on the final day of the season, it leaves a hole.
"It's quiet (in the locker room), but there's nothing we can do. It's over with," Dust Devils pitcher Tyler Gagnon said after he took the loss in Game 3 of the NWL championship series Sunday in Vancouver. "We have to learn from it and move on."
LIVE BLOG: Dust Devils vs. Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, Game 3
LIVE BLOG: Dust Devils vs. Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, Game 3
Here's a quick Dust Devils alumni update: Russell Wilson, who played second base here in 2010 before heading back to the North Carolina State football team, where he started at quarterback.
Well, this year, he's quarterbacking Wisconsin after he was essentially shown the door at NC State when he chose to keep playing baseball in the Colorado Rockies' system. But it's been a great pickup for the Badgers, who beat UNLV tonight 51-17 in the season opener for both teams.
Wilson played most of the game and showed he is a great fit for the offense. As expected, he handed the ball off a lot, but he was also efficient when it came to making passes. Wilson completed 10-of-13 passes for 255 yards and two TDs. He also broke off an impressive 46-yard touchdown run near the end of the first half, getting a couple of great blocks along the way.
Dust Devils defeat Yakima again
Dust Devils defeat Yakima again
Christian Bergman made history after all.
In his last start, the Tri-City Dust Devils ace starting pitcher lost his bid for the longest scoreless innings streak in Northwest League history, falling one inning short of the record of 32.
"Afterwards, I was pretty disappointed in myself," said Bergman, a 6-foot-2 right-hander from Glendale, Calif. "I kind of used it as motivation for tonight."
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