The Tri-City Dust Devils wrapped up their final homestand before the All-Star Break with a spirited six-game series against the Everett AquaSox at Gesa Stadium, ultimately earning a 3-3 series split. Over the course of the week, the Dust Devils showed flashes of dominant pitching, clutch power hitting, and resilience—offset by a couple of late-inning collapses and missed opportunities.
Late Lead Lost in Opener
The series began Tuesday night with the Dust Devils appearing poised for a win after a four-run seventh inning gave them a 6-2 lead. Ryan Nicholson’s go-ahead RBI single, a two-run single from shortstop Capri Ortiz, and a groundout RBI from Adrian Placencia had the crowd buzzing. But Everett responded quickly with two home runs in the eighth and a three-run ninth to stun Tri-City, 9-6. Despite striking out 16 AquaSox hitters, the Dust Devils couldn’t close the door.
One Run Short on Little League Night
Wednesday’s game saw another tight contest, as Tri-City fell behind early after a defensive miscue and couldn’t quite recover in a 4-3 loss. Anthony Scull homered for the second straight night, and David Calabrese added two doubles, but the Dust Devils left the tying run on base in the seventh and were shut down the rest of the way.
Nicholson’s Heroics Lead Comeback Win
Thursday night belonged to Ryan Nicholson. Playing as Viñeros de Tri-City, the Dust Devils overcame three separate deficits and earned their first win of the series with a 12-8 victory. Nicholson launched a grand slam in the seventh to give Tri-City its first lead, then added a three-run homer in the eighth to seal the game. He finished 3-for-5 with 7 RBIs—his best performance as a professional. Ortiz and Arol Vera each added key contributions, and Everett’s defensive lapses in the eighth helped open the door for the Dust Devils’ 19th comeback win of the season.
Vargas Shines in High-A Debut
On Friday, the Dust Devils, playing as the Columbia River Rooster Tails, blanked Everett 2-0 thanks to a dominant High-A debut from 20-year-old right-hander Yeferson Vargas. Vargas tossed six shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out seven and facing the minimum. Offensively, Rio Foster delivered the decisive blow with a two-run opposite-field homer in the seventh. Leonard Garcia and Dylan Phillips finished the job out of the bullpen, securing Tri-City’s sixth shutout of the season.
AquaSox Bounce Back Saturday
Everett responded Saturday with a 7-2 win behind early offense and a solid outing from Evan Truitt. Colt Emerson led the AquaSox with a home run and a double, helping build a quick lead that the Dust Devils couldn’t overcome. Calabrese continued to swing a hot bat, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run, but the offense was otherwise quiet.
Johnson Deals in Series Finale
Sunday’s matinee saw the Dust Devils close the series strong with a 6-1 win. Right-hander Ryan Johnson delivered a strong start, giving up just one run over five innings while striking out five. Anthony Scull homered for the third time in the series, and Capri Ortiz added an RBI double as Tri-City steadily built their lead and kept Everett off balance throughout.
Series Highlights & Notes
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Ryan Nicholson was the offensive MVP of the series, going 3-for-5 with 2 HR and 7 RBI in Thursday’s win alone.
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Yeferson Vargas turned in a spectacular debut, retiring 18 of 18 batters faced and helping secure a shutout in Game 4.
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Anthony Scull homered three times over the six games and provided steady production from the leadoff spot.
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Adrian Placencia extended his on-base streak to 22 games, the longest by a Dust Devil in 2025.
Looking Ahead
With the series split, Tri-City heads into the All-Star Break at 12-8 in the second half and 42-44 overall. The Dust Devils remain firmly in the playoff hunt and will look to carry the momentum from their strong finish into the second half’s stretch run.
They return to action later this week. The Dust Devils head to Eugene for a three game series with the Emeralds starting Friday.