Podorsky hits 1st pro homer, Dust Devils erupt late to top Hillsboro in 11
Robbie Podorsky hit a three-run homer in the five-run top of the 11th inning on Saturday as part of a 3-for-6 day to lead the Tri-City Dust Devils to an 8-3, extra-innings win over the host Hillsboro Hops in the opener of a five-game series, keeping them tied atop the NWL North standings.
Hillsboro trailed 3-1 going into the bottom of the eighth, but scratched across two runs on back-to-back sacrifice flies to tie the game and chase Tri-City starter Ben Sheckler (7IP-5H-3R-1ER-3K). However, Sheckler got off the hook with Evan Miller, Andres Munoz (3-0) and Wilmer Torres dealing four innings of no-hit relief behind him.
Matthew Batten walked to lead off the 11th, then scored the eventual game-winning run on a triple by Tre Carter, his 11th of the season. Josh Magee drove in Carter with a sacrifice fly, and Jalen Washington and Bryant Aragon created traffic on the basepaths for Podorsky’s first professional big fly.
The Vancouver Canadians lost to the Boise Hawks early Sunday, which gave the Dust Devils a half-game advantage in the North Division’s second-half standings going into the second of their five-game series against the Hops on Sunday afternoon.
Dust Devils 8, Hops 3 (11)
Dust Devils | AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg |
Podorsky lf | 6 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .309 |
J.Lopez ss | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .248 |
Melean 3b | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .226 |
Asuncion rf | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .268 |
Batten 2b | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .235 |
Carter cf | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .228 |
Washington c | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .187 |
Aragon 1b | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .218 |
Magee dh | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .225 |
Totals | 41 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 11 |
Hillsboro | AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg |
Dobson ss | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .203 |
Grotjohn 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .264 |
Lara 1b | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .232 |
Susnara c | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .209 |
Ellis 3b | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .222 |
Varsho dh | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .316 |
Holmes cf | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .205 |
Swain rf | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .213 |
J.Perez lf | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .207 |
Totals | 36 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Dust Devils | 020 | 010 | 000 | 05– | 8 | 11 | 1 |
Hillsboro | 000 | 010 | 020 | 00– | 3 | 5 | 4 |
E–Washington (5); Lara (3). LOB–Dust Devils 7; Hillsboro 5. 2B–Aragon (7); Dobson (4). 3B–Carter 2 (11). HR–Podorsky (1) off Castillo. RBIs–Carter 2 (30); Washington (8); Magee 2 (9); Podorsky 3 (13); Swain (15); Grotjohn (23); Lara (6). SB–Podorsky (14) 2B. CS–Podorsky (5) 2B. S–Dobson. SF–Magee; Grotjohn; Lara. RISP–Dust Devils 3-for-13; Hillsboro 1-for-10. Runners left in scoring position–Washington; Podorsky; Batten; Melean; Susnara; J.Perez; Ellis 2. GIDP–Melean. DP–Hillsboro 2.
Dust Devils | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Sheckler | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2.64 |
Miller | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.65 |
Munoz W,3-0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3.80 |
W.Torres | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3.00 |
Hillsboro | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Badamo | 6 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5.13 |
Watson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.00 |
Ward | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.00 |
Williams | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3.38 |
Brill L,1-1 | 1 1/3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0.98 |
L.Castillo | 2/3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2.97 |
Sheckler pitched to 2 batters in the 8th.
E–Dust Devils Dust Devils Manager Ben Fritz ejected by HP umpire Tanner Moore (8th). GS–Sheckler 66; Badamo 53. HBP–Susnara (Sheckler). Pitches-strikes–Sheckler 75-57; Miller 9-5; Munoz 23-15; W.Torres 19-11; Badamo 78-52; Watson 25-18; Ward 16-9; Williams 15-11; Brill 42-22; L.Castillo 22-10. WP–Brill. Inherited runners-scored–Miller 2-2; L.Castillo 1-1.
T–3:34. A–3,935.
Dustin Brennan: 509-582-1413, @Tweet_By_Dustin
This story was originally published August 27, 2017 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Podorsky hits 1st pro homer, Dust Devils erupt late to top Hillsboro in 11."