Dust Devils build early advantage, roll past Indians

From staff reports

Tri-City didn’t always get a bat on the ball, but the Dust Devils sure were productive when they did.

Tri-City scored at least one run in each of the first five innings and cruised to an 11-1 Northwest League victory over Spokane on Thursday night at Avista Stadium.

Spokane starting pitcher Evan Shawver (1-6) posted eight strikeouts among the 11 outs he recorded, but he was unable to escape the fourth inning and left with the Indians trailing 5-0.

Shawver’s balk allowed Kyren Paris to score for a 1-0 lead in the first. Edwin Yon scored on Mike Peabody’s groundout in the second, and Christian Molfetta’s two-run single in the third pushed the Dust Devils’ advantage to 4-0.

Paris scored on Osmy Gregorio’s double in the fourth, and Yon increased the Tri-City lead to 6-0 with a run in the fifth.

Steven Rivas scored on a fielding error in the seventh to take a 7-0 lead. Peabody hit a two-run homer in the ninth.

Molfetta was 3 for 3 with a walk and drove in a pair of runs. Peabody finished with four RBIs.

Tri-City’s Robinson Pina pitched 6⅔ innings and allowed one run and three hits. He struck out six and walked two.

Julio Carreras and Zac Veen each had two hits for Spokane.

Veen, who was 2 for 4 and scored on a wild pitch in the seventh, learned earlier this week he has been selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game slated for July 16 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles at 4 p.m. The event is part of MLB’s All-Star Week schedule.

Veen is ranked 24th among all minor league prospects, according to MLB.com.