YAKIMA -- Tim Wheeler hit his first professional grand slam as the Tri-City Dust Devils defeated the Yakima Bears 7-1 on Friday at County Stadium in Yakima for a team-record seventh consecutive victory.
It was the second home run in as many nights and fourth of the season for Wheeler, a first-round draft pick by the Colorado Rockies.
The Dust Devils (41-26), which return to Gesa Stadium to begin a three-game series with Boise today at 7:15 p.m., maintained their seven-game lead over Spokane (34-33) and narrowed their magic number to clinch the East Division down to three games.
Tri-City starter Wes Musick (2-0) tossed six innings, allowing just four hits and one earned run. The Dust Devils hammered out six runs in just 11/3 innings against Bears starter Brad Wilson (2-2), who walked six.
Jeremiah Sammy went 3-for-3 for Tri-City with two doubles.
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Tri-City drops road game 7-5
Tri-City drops road game 7-5
VANCOUVER -- The Tri-City Dust Devils scored four runs in the top of the third to take a 4-1 lead but ended up giving it right back the next inning in a Northwest League loss to the Vancouver Canadians at Nat Bailey Stadium.
Tim Smalling went 3-for-4 with two runs and hit his NWL-leading seventh triple of the year to tie the score at one. Tyler Massey, Jared Simon and Leonardo Reyes each added RBI singles to cap the scoring in the third.
The Dust Devils (17-13
second half) remained in first place in the East Division, but Yakima (15-15) pulled to within two games with a 6-0 win at Everett. Tri-City already clinched a NWL playoff berth by winning the first-half title.
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 find offense in 6-4 win
Dust Devils find offense in 6-4 win
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Just when it seemed like the Tri-City Dust Devils were headed for their third consecutive miserable day at the plate, they broke out the lumber.
Jayson Langfels hit a solo homer in the seventh and a two-run triple in the eighth, powering Tri-City to a 6-4 win over the host Vancouver Canadians on Sunday.
It was part of a five-run outburst in the last three innings that dug the Dust Devils out of a 3-1 hole.
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' 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.
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