SPOKANE VALLEY – C Peter Burns hit an early deep two-run home run that set the tone Tuesday night for the Tri-City Dust Devils (3-1 2H, 38-32), aiding them to a 4-2 win over the Spokane Indians (1-3 2H, 30-40) in the series opener at Avista Stadium.
Burns took an 0-2 pitch from Spokane starter Lebarron Johnson, Jr. (0-3), out into the parking lot in between the train car and short porch, scoring 1B Matt Coutney after his leadoff double. The Reading, Massachusetts native had only one professional home run coming into the 2026 campaign, but the blast moved him to three for the year.
Tri-City added two more runs in the top of the 3rd. LF Jorge Ruiz started the inning with a single to center, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by CF David Mershon. Coutney came back up with two out and pulled a double to right-center, scoring Ruiz to make it 3-0. RF Randy De Jesus followed with an RBI single through the right side that plated Coutney to push the lead to 4-0.
Dust Devils starter Jose Atencio went four innings and gave up one run on five hits, striking out four and walking one. The run came in the bottom of the 4th, toward the end of his outing. The Indians added a run in the bottom of the 5th with Tri-City reliever Kyle Roche (3-0) on the mound, getting the home team within two at 4-2, but Roche posted a 1-2-3 6th with a pair of strikeouts on his way to the win. Dylan Phillips followed with 1.2 scoreless frames, striking out two.
Things got a touch dicey in the bottom of the 9th, where Spokane loaded the bases with two out, but closer Sam Tookoian finished the game off with a strikeout for his tenth save.
Matt Coutney (2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI, 2 R) and Jorge Ruiz (2-for-5, R) had multi-hit games for Tri-City. DH Aaron Graeber and SS Capri Ortiz added singles as part of an eight-hit attack.
A WEDNESDAY AT AVISTA
Tri-City meets Spokane for game two of their six-game series at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday night at Avista Stadium. Right-hander Chase Shores (1-1, 4.67 ERA) takes the hill for the Dust Devils, with righty Yuma Herrera (0-1, 5.06 ERA) doing the same for the Indians.
Free broadcast coverage on the MiLB app and dustdevilsbaseball.com will begin with the Dust Devils Pregame Show at 6:15 p.m. Fans can also watch the games for free (Spokane broadcast) on Bally Sports Live, and via subscription on MLB.tv and the MiLB app.
After the road trip the Dust Devils return Tuesday, July 7 for a six-game set with the Hillsboro Hops. For tickets to the Hillsboro series, as well as all 2026 Dust Devils home games, visit the official ticket site, dustdevilsbaseball.com.