Tri-City wins opener over Everett

Fireworks boomed out in center field Friday night at Gesa Stadium after the Tri-City Dust Devils topped the Everett AquaSox 5-4 in the team’s season opener.

For Dust Devils skipper Ben Fritz, relief was the overwhelming feeling after picking up the win in his much-anticipated managerial debut.

“It feels good to get the first one out of the way,” Fritz said.

Tri-City starting pitcher Emmanuel Ramirez threw a hard-luck four innings in the opener in front of 3,029 fans, giving up two unearned runs on three hits that didn’t leave the infield. Ramirez left the game with a 4-2 lead that was never relinquished, but reliever Diomar Lopez ended up getting the Dust Devils’ first win of the season since Ramirez didn’t pitch the minimum of five innings to be eligible.

“It was a little difficult because they couldn’t get a ball out of the infield, but at the same time I’m kind of happy because they couldn’t hit a ball out of the infield,” Ramirez said through a translator. “It was kind of hard to understand the situation.”

Everett starting pitcher Jake Brentz was effectively wild through two innings, leading the AquaSox to an early 2-0 lead, but the wheels fell off in the bottom of the third as he walked four batters in the inning — three times the free passes came with the bases loaded — to give the Dust Devils their first lead of the ball game at 3-2.

Brentz lasted just 2 2/3 innings and walked seven Tri-City batters while striking out four. He allowed just one hit and only one of the three runs he allowed was earned.

Aaron Cressley was incredibly effective out of the bullpen for the Dust Devils as he pitched a perfect 2 1/3 innings to get the seven-out save.

“Lights out. Clutch performance,” Fritz said. “We had planned out to have someone else have the ninth, but he kind of cruised through the out he had in the seventh and then the eighth, and it just made sense to keep the hot hand.”

Catcher Kyle Overstreet drove in the the Dust Devils’ fifth and final run, which turned out to be the game-winner, in the sixth on a ground ball that AquaSox shortstop Bryson Brigman couldn’t make a play on. Center fielder Aldemar Burgos scored his second run of the game on the play, and Overstreet ended up going 2-for-5 with a run scored.

“He’s a professional hitter for dang sure,” Fritz said. “His at-bats are always going to be pro.”

Overstreet’s night got off to a rough start after he sailed a back-pick throw over the head of first baseman Carlos Sosa, allowing Everett base runner Jordan Cowan to move to second and eventually score. Fritz said the throwing error occurred because the umpire’s mask hit Overstreet’s elbow as he released the ball.

Next up was Mariners first-round draft pick Kyle Lewis. His first professional at-bat was anything but grandiose, but his routine grounder to short moved Cowan along to third. Gus Craig then drove in the game’s first run on an infield single up the middle for a quick Everett lead.

Lewis, the 11th overall pick in the draft, wouldn’t be held down long, though, as he picked up his first career hit in the sixth, a double laced down the right-field line. He scored on an RBI single by Kristian Brito to cut the Dust Devil lead to 4-3.

This story was originally published June 18, 2016 at 2:10 PM with the headline "Tri-City wins opener over Everett."