I stepped into Dust Devils trainer Andy Stover's office after the second game of this series, and was surprised to see it completely empty.

Shocked, stunned, amazed, I was. So was he.

Usually, Stover's training room is full of players after a game. They're icing arms and shoulders, working out bumps and bruises or rehabbing injuries. But Thursday, nothing.

Stover's trade is taking care of people on the mend, but I have to believe it's a very good day when nobody's hurt. Let's hope that continues.

******

There was a nasty storm cloud passing over Gesa Stadium about an hour ago, but it appears to have made its way east. Rainstorms and baseball don't go very well together.

Since I started covering the team in 2005, however, I don't remember the Dust Devils losing any games to rainouts.

******

Still no score after 2 1/2 innings. Tyler Gagnon pitching for Tri-City, looking to recover from his last outing, a hideous night in Salem-Keizer where he gave up 10 earned runs on 12 hits in a 14-2 loss. Tonight he's got it back, not allowing a hit through the first 11 batters. He has, however, walked three, which could get him into trouble.

I love sitting next to Jason Schwartz, the Dust Devils' radio play-by-play man on KFLD 870 AM. He's got a rich baritone voice that I can hear through the wall to my right. He does an awful lot of digging for interesting tidbits in his downtime.

Fortunately, I get the benefit of his research, as some of those gems flow helplessly into my ear.

Heard a good one tonight. Gagnon's brother Drew made his professional debut last night for the Helena Brewers in a 9-2 win over the Idaho Falls Chukars. Drew, a third-round pick this year by Milwaukee out of Long Beach State, started the game and tossed two scoreless innings. But he only allowed one hit and struck out five.

No doubt he got some good advice about playing in the Pioneer League from his brother, Tyler, who played for the Casper (Wyo.) Ghosts for the last two seasons.

Thank you, Jason. The check's in the mail.

******

Dust Devils take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jordan Ribera singled to lead off the inning, took second after Jared Simon walked. Blake McDade bunted them over, and then Ribera scored on a grounder to third by Taylor Featherston.

Gagnon still looking strong heading into the sixth.

******

Just got a visit from Scott Tylinski, the Dust Devils official scorer/scoreboard operator, who gets bored from time to time. I told him to pull up a chair, but he headed back to his crew. He's a nuclear engineer for Areva out in Richland, but he spends his off time as an umpire for the adult baseball league in town and working for the Dust Devils.

That's a funny group over there. Every once in a while I'll hear honest-to-goodness cackling coming from my right, and I know it's not Jason. What the hell could they be doing over there?

Scott's one of my favorite people, and here's why. For one thing, he's got excellent taste in cigars and scotch, which he shares with me liberally. He's always trying to take me along on his regular trips to Las Vegas. I've gone a couple times and had a blast. He's a craps player, and the first time I played with him I was up $800 after three sessions.

I won't tell you what happened after the third session, but let's just say what happens in Vegas will definitely be staying in Vegas. The next day, I lost virtually all of it on the final session.

Dangerous game that is.

*******

Still 1-0 Tri-City in the top of the seventh. Gagnon just left the game after reaching his pitch count — I had him at 88 — and he was very impressive. He gave up just one hit and three walks in 6 2/3 and will get credit for the win if the Dust Devils can hold on.

*******

Dust Devils go ahead 3-1 on a two-run single by Jared Simon in the bottom of the eighth and win it with Nelson Gonzalez closing out the ninth.