Asuncion named MVP, Dust Devils power NWL to All-Star Game victory

The Northwest League remained undefeated Tuesday night in its third year of All-Star competition against the Pioneer League, topping the visitors 5-4 at Ron Tonkin Field in Hillsboro, and all four players representing the Tri-City Dust Devils were integral in the outcome of the game — for better or for worse.

Outifleder Luis Asuncion was named the Most Valuable Player for hitting an RBI double and later scoring in the bottom of the fifth when the NWL scored all five of its runs. Right-hander Henry Henry struck out two in a flawless sixth inning to get the win, and Jose Galindo got the final out — albeit after surrendering a hit and a walk — to pick up the save.

But all those heroics came after Emmanuel Ramirez was credited for giving up all four of the Pioneer League’s runs — on five hits — while recording just two outs in the second inning that was supposed to be all his.

Joseph Rosa (Everett) led off the bottom of the fifth for the NWL with a walk, coming around to score on Asuncion’s two-bagger into right field. Camden Duzenack (Hillsboro) drove Asuncion in with an RBI knock, then David Banuelos (Everett) picked up an RBI single, and Daulton Varsho (Hillsboro) and Steven Linkous (Boise) drew walks with the bases loaded for the tying and go-ahead runs.

Asuncion was the second Dust Devil to earn top honors at the All-Star Game in the past three years, following in the footsteps of Peter Van Gansen (now with the AAA El Paso Chihuahuas), who hit a 10th-inning, walk-off single in the NWL’s 6-5 win over the Pioneer League in the series’ inaugural game, in 2015.

Tri-City (4-3 second half, 24-21 overall) resumes its Northwest League campaign Thursday with the start of a five-game home series against the Boise Hawks (2-5, 21-24).

This story was originally published August 2, 2017 at 4:12 PM with the headline "Asuncion named MVP, Dust Devils power NWL to All-Star Game victory."