Tri-City hangs on for the win

Chris Mattison and Luis Asuncion gave the Dust Devils just enough run support Tuesday night and the pitching staff led by Angel Mejia was brilliant in a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canadians at Gesa Stadium.

The Dust Devils (7-5) took the lead in the bottom of the fourth when Mattison smoked a line-drive double into left-center to drive in Tri-City’s first run. Luis Asuncion then drove in Mattison a batter later with a well hit ball through the middle of the infield to make it 2-1.

Mattison, who came into the game batting .143 and had just one extra base hit, was happy to make a contribution at the plate for the Dust Devils by driving in the tying run and then scoring what turned out to be the game-winning run.

“It was pretty satisfying,” Mattison said. “I’m starting to barrel balls up finally. I hit my first double last night and then another one tonight, so I just gotta keep doing what I’m doing.”

With the single, Asuncion has safely hit in all 10 of the games he’s played in this season, but has yet to record a multi-hit game. He went 1-for-3 Tuesday.

Padres fourth-round draft pick Joey Lucchesi picked up the six-out save for the Dust Devils, but the ninth inning didn’t come without its bumps.

Lance Jones gave the Canadians a heart beat with a one-out triple to right-center. Batting behind Jones, Christian Williams looked like he got the equalizing hit with a ground ball between the right-side infielders, but second baseman Jose Savinon had other plans as he dove to his left to snare the grounder for an out and keep Jones at third. Lucchesi got the next batter Lizardo to strikeout swinging at a breaking ball in the dirt to seal the victory.

“I was very grateful for Savinon to make that play, he’s doing it for the team, that’s a team player right there, and I’m happy he got that ball,” Lucchesi said. “Then once I got to (Lizardo), I said ‘Oh yeah, I’m going to throw him a hammer, and he’s going to go for it,’ so I just aimed for the dirt. And then I was just happy we won the game.”

Tri-City starter Mejia (1-0) walked the leadoff man in the top of the second and D.J. McKnight made him pay for it a batter later as he ripped a ball to left that just caught the top of the wall to stay in the park, but Williams still managed to score from first on the double to give the Canadians (7-5) a 1-0 lead. After giving up the first run of the game, Mejia regrouped to set the next three batters down in order to strand McKnight at second.

Despite issuing two leadoff walks, Mejia turned in a solid outing, striking out five over five innings and giving up just the one run.

“He clutched up, got us through five, and did what he had to do to give us a chance to win,” Fritz said. “He’s got good sink, and when it’s over the plate, it’s got enough movement to miss barrels.”

Tri-City short stop Chris Baker flashed the glove that made him such a high-value prospect out of the University of Washington in the fifth inning when Josh Reavis hit a grounder that looked like it would get through the left side of the infield. Baker practically went into left field to get to the ball, and then fired a one-hopper over to first off his back foot to get Reavis by a step.

“He’s made that play a few times for us this year, this one we got the big out on,” Fritz said. “He’s shown some range, arm strength and good hands — good combination for a middle infielder,” Fritz said.

The Dust Devils continue their three-game series with the Canadians at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday. Two lefties will square off as Tri-City will send Will Headean (1-0, 1.80 ERA) to the mound to face Juliandry Higuera (1-1, 3.52 ERA).

This story was originally published June 28, 2016 at 10:42 PM with the headline "Tri-City hangs on for the win."