EVERETT – Scoring early and often in the opener of a six-game series, the Tri-City Dust Devils (20-20) got back to .500 Tuesday night by defeating the Everett AquaSox (21-19) by a score of 9-2 at Everett Memorial Stadium.
Tri-City led wire-to-wire, getting a run in the top of the 1st inning and never giving up the lead. 3B Caleb Bartolero drew a leadoff walk, then went first-to-third on a two-out error during an attempt to pick him off. C Juan Flores, up at the plate at the time, then nearly hit one out of the notoriously smaller park, hitting near the top of the wall in left-center for a long RBI single that gave the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The advantage grew in the 2nd inning by three. RF Randy De Jesus started the inning with a double down the left field line, and CF Gage Harrelson hooked a one-out RBI two-bagger down the right field line to score De Jesus and make it 2-0. A two-out single by Bartolero extended the inning to 2B Johan Macias, whose RBI single to right scored Harrelson. Everett RF Carlos Jimenez bobbled the ball gearing up for the throw back in, which allowed Bartolero to come all the way around from first and push the lead to 4-0.
De Jesus picked up where he left off in the 3rd, singling with one out on the infield and bringing up LF Anthony Scull. AquaSox starter Taylor Dollard (0-3) delivered his first pitch of the at-bat to Scull, who hit a rocket to the top of the grass berm over the right field wall for a two-run home run. The Cuba native and Miami resident’s eighth home run of the season gave the Dust Devils a 6-0 lead.
The AquaSox got on the board in the bottom of the 4th with a solo home run from SS Felnin Celesten. The longball ended up the only damage to Tri-City starter Lucas Knowles (2-0), who went five innings efficiently for the win. The western Washington native gave up only the run and a total of three hits, walking one and striking out five.
With Everett ending the shutout, the Dust Devils put more on in later frames. De Jesus got in on the home run fun with a solo blast to right-center in the top of the 5th, stretching the lead to 7-1. Scull added a second home run in the top of the 8th, another rocket to right, to make it 8-1 and Harrelson singled and scored on a balk after advancing with some help (wild pitch, then groundout) to third. The AquaSox plated a second run on a sacrifice fly, also in the 8th, but Tri-City otherwise held down their hosts to grab an opening win.
JUST ANOTHER NATE SNEAD DAY
Tri-City and Everett meet in game two of their six-game series at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday night at Everett Memorial Stadium. The Dust Devils send right-hander Nate Snead (2-3, 3.38 ERA) to the hill, looking to even his record on the season. The AquaSox, meanwhile, send Seattle Mariners lefty Gabe Speier to the mound as part of a rehab assignment. Right-hander Adam Maier (1-0, 4.29 ERA) is expected to follow Speier.
Free broadcast coverage on the MiLB app and dustdevilsbaseball.com will begin with the Dust Devils Pregame Show at 6:45 p.m. Fans can also watch the games for free (Everett broadcast) on Bally Sports Live, and via subscription on MLB.tv and the MiLB app.
The team returns after its trip to Everett for a 12-game homestand beginning Tuesday, May 26, at 6:30 p.m. against the Spokane Indians. After six with the Inland Northwest rivals, the Vancouver Canadians return to town for six games that bring the clubs to the month of June.
For tickets to both the Spokane and Vancouver series, as well as all 2026 Dust Devils home games, visit the official ticket site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.