PASCO After four years in the Colorado Rockies' farm system, Leonardo Reyes is enjoying his first run at a professional baseball title with the Tri-City Dust Devils.
But Reyes wants more than a chance to watch it happen from the dugout bench.
The 6-foot-1 outfielder from Caja Seca, Venezuela, came through with his second multi-hit game in his last three starts, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored to lift Tri-City to a 9-5 win over the Yakima Bears on Tuesday at Gesa Stadium.
"It's good to be rested (for the playoffs), but we need to be ready," said Reyes, who bounced a two-run single up the middle in the first to put the Dust Devils up 2-0 and then scored the go-ahead run in the fifth to give Tri-City a 6-5 lead.
"This feels good," he said. "I've been working on my balance at the plate."
The Dust Devils, which clinched the East Division on Saturday to earn a berth in the Northwest League championship series against Salem-Keizer, needed Reyes' contribution.
Boise took a 5-2 lead in the top of the second inning when two errors by Tri-City third baseman Joseph Sanders led to five unearned runs off starting pitcher Sheng-An Kuo.
The error was the fourth in the last two nights for Sanders, who is now second in the Northwest League with 23 errors behind Boise's Hak-Ju Lee (25).
"Kuo threw the ball OK, but the errors gave (Yakima) five runs," said Dust Devils manager Fred Ocasio. "Reyes has done a great job lately. (Hitting coach Anthony) Sanders talked to him about swinging at bad pitches, and for the last
10 days he's been outstanding."
Tri-City got two runs back in the fourth on a wo-out RBI triple by Orlando Sandoval and then an RBI double by Ben Paulsen to cut the lead to
5-4. The Dust Devils got two more in the fifth after Sanders and Reyes both drew one-out walks and came around to score -- Sanders on a bloop single from Jose Gonzalez and Reyes on a passed ball. That gave Tri-City a
6-5 lead it wouldn't relinquish.
The Dust Devils bullpen turned the lights out, as usual, as three relievers -- Aaron Weatherford, Eric Federico and Charlie Ruiz -- combined to hold the Bears to one hit over the final six innings.
Weatherford (1-0), a third-round pick out of Mississippi State in 2008, collected his first professional win after sitting out all of last season and part of this season with injuries. The 6-foot-1 right-hander, who sat out six weeks with a strained shoulder before coming back Aug. 12, tossed two scoreless innings while allowing only a walk.
"It's been miserable," said Weatherford with a smile. "I've been doing what everybody else has been doing except pitching. ... I'm glad to be involved."
Ariel Brea (0-2) took the loss for the Bears after allowing the tying and go-ahead runs in the fifth.
Paulsen went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs and an RBI, and Bo Bowman added a two-run single in the eighth for his team-high 46th RBI.
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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 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.
LIVE BLOG: NWL division series, Dust Devils at Boise Hawks, Game 1
LIVE BLOG: NWL division series, Dust Devils at Boise Hawks, Game 1
Getting an early start on today's NWL Divisional Series blog between the Tri-City Dust Devils and Boise Hawks.
Hitched a ride to Boise with Dust Devils radio play-by-play man Jason Schwartz at 10 a.m. this morning. Our other passenger was Erik Mertens, best known as Erik the Peanut Guy. It was a fun trip with two great guys, and we all had a lot to talk about.
Erik and Jason had a good discussion about their favorite team logos and team colors — both are long-time aficionados. They were going back and forth with thoughts about improving the Dust Devils logo. I'll tell you, these two might have missed a calling as graphic artists.
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' 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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