The Tri-City Dust Devils wrapped up a statement week of Northwest League baseball with a dominating performance from right-hander Ryan Johnson, who etched his name into franchise history with a complete-game one-hit shutout Saturday night at Avista Stadium. The 2-0 victory over the Spokane Indians capped a series win and pushed Tri-City back to the .500 mark at 40-40 overall (10-4 in the second half).
Johnson was nearly untouchable. After giving up a two-out single to Spokane’s Aidan Longwell in the first inning, the righty from Red Oak, Texas retired the next 25 batters in order. Johnson struck out 12—setting a career high—and didn’t allow a single Spokane runner after the opening frame. It marked the first nine-inning one-hitter in Dust Devils history and only the fourth complete game shutout since the team’s founding in 2001. It was also the first since Christian Bergman’s 2011 gem against Yakima.
Offensively, the Dust Devils didn’t need much. Juan Flores scored the game’s first run in the 5th after a walk, a single by Anthony Scull, and an RBI infield hit from Ryan Nicholson. Cole Fontenelle added an insurance run in the 6th with an opposite-field solo home run—his second as a Dust Devil.
Series Highlights: A Week of Statement Wins
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July 5: Chris Cortez struck out a career-high nine batters in Tri-City’s 4-3 win, setting the tone for the series. A three-run 5th inning gave the Dust Devils enough cushion, and SS Arol Vera sealed the win with a clutch defensive play to end a late Spokane rally.
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July 4: Despite a sellout crowd in Pasco and a solid outing from Keythel Key (7 IP, 1 H, 1 ER), the Dust Devils dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker. Braylen Wimmer’s solo homer was the only offense in a pitcher’s duel that saw Tri-City outhit but not outscore the Indians.
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July 3: Spokane took a 10-8 extra-inning win in a wild back-and-forth game in which both teams exchanged early leads. Spokane’s Blake Wright went 5-for-5, including the game-winning double in the 10th. Tri-City nearly rallied again, but a late strikeout left the tying run at the plate.
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July 2: Adrian Placencia made Dust Devils history, homering from both sides of the plate in a 7-4 win. Randy De Jesus and Matt Coutney also went deep, with the team’s four home runs tying a season high.
Standout Performers of the Series:
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Ryan Johnson: 9 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 12 K – a franchise milestone
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Adrian Placencia: Homered from both sides, extended on-base streak to 18 games
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Chris Cortez: 5 IP, 9 K, shut down Spokane to open the series
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Randy De Jesus & Cole Fontenelle: Key home runs in pivotal wins
Looking Ahead:
Tri-City now returns home for a six-game series against the Everett AquaSox, High-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, starting Tuesday, July 8 at Gesa Stadium. The Dust Devils currently sit tied for first in the Northwest League second-half standings and will look to carry their momentum into a crucial homestand.
Tickets and Broadcast:
Tickets for the Everett series and all remaining 2025 home games are available at dustdevilsbaseball.com. Live audio coverage of all games is also available on the site and the MiLB app.
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By Tri-City Dust Devils Media