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If you asked ballplayers to choose between belting a home run or making a great defensive play, you'd probably get a variety of answers for a few different reasons.
But Hector Gomez didn't have to make that choice during the Tri-City Dust Devils' 5-2 victory over the Everett AquaSox. The lanky, 6-foot-2 shortstop -- ranked by Baseball America as the Colorado Rockies' No. 5 prospect before the season -- did both.
Gomez dived to his left to glove Evan Sharpley's third-inning grounder up the middle and popped up quickly to throw Sharpley out by a half-step at first. The play prevented Everett from scoring the game's first run.
Three innings later, Gomez blasted his second home run of the season over the left-field wall to tie the game at 1.
Gomez finished 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored.
Even though his bat seems to be coming around after five-month rehabilitation process from a back injury, Gomez still loves the thrill of a good defensive play.
"If that ball goes through, they go up 1-0. I'm ready for every play, every pitch," said Gomez, who has also been fighting through a personal tragedy after he and his girlfriend, Madi Ariza of Modesto, Calif., lost their son, Hector Jr., during childbirth in late June.
"Gomez is a strong kid," said Tri-City manager Fred Ocasio, who added that Gomez is 13 days into a 20-month rehab stint, meaning he'll likely be promoted in another week. "Defensively, he's been a pretty good shortstop, but his timing is starting to come around on offense. He's starting to put together some good at-bats."
For the second straight night, the Dust Devils were helped by a critical error on the AquaSox defense.
Tri-City took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by Dustin Garneau off Everett starter Chris Scorce (3-2), who was then relieved by Fray Martinez. With two outs, however, AquaSox left fielder Dwight Britton dropped Gomez's towering fly ball in short left, plating Garneau to make it 3-1 and moving two more runners into scoring position.
Jeremiah Sammy then broke the game open with a two-run single to make it 5-1.
"It feels good to be winning again," said Sammy, who finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Mark Tracy and Nathan Hines also added two hits apiece.
"We're starting to turn it around. We've just got to stay consistent."
Tri-City starter Josh Mueller (2-0) got the win, tossing six strong innings while scattering four hits and a pair of walks. The only blemish was an unearned run in the fourth on a fielding error by Sammy.
"It was my fault," Sammy said. "I took my eye off the ball when I went to make the tag. I just missed it."
But it didn't dampen an impressive performance for Mueller, the Rockies' 13th-rounder out of Eastern Illinois.
"I felt better as the game went on. It felt like I loosened up toward the end," Mueller said.
Tri-City closer Craig Bennigson picked up his fifth save with a scoreless ninth inning.
Sorce took the loss, allowing three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Notes: OF Leonardo Reyes went 1-for-4, singling to center in his final at bat, to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. ... McAtee allowed an earned run in the top of the seventh, halting his scoreless innings streak at 14 2/3 innings. In fact, the 6-5 righty hadn't given up an earned run in 18 innings dating back to June 23. ... SS Josh Rutledge, the Rockies' third-round draft pick out of Alabama, remains day-to-day with a wrist injury. ... Today's pitching matchup will feature Tri-City right-hander Samuel Deduno (0-0, 0.00) against Everett lefty Edlando Seco (1-0, 2.97). Deduno is here on a rehabilitation stint (elbow) after making four appearances for the Colorado Rockies, compiling a 1-0 record and a 6.75 ERA. ... Tonight is Faith Night at Gesa Stadium, featuring an appearance by the band Johannin. The band is led by Erik Mertens, aka 'Erik The Peanut Guy', and will play before and after the game.
