Jey Young/ Ball Boy Blog
Game two opened with the uniform change for both sides. The visiting Vancouver Canadians were sporting alternate red jerseys, and the home Tri-City Dust Devils were sporting classic whites.
The Dust Devils went with another interesting defensive alignment in game two of the double header. In-game one, we saw usual LF Edwin Yon and RF D'Shawn Knowles switch corners in the first contest, while both backup catchers Christian Molfetta got the start behind the dish, and Kyle Lovelace drew the start at DH for the first game. In the 2nd contest, we saw Steven Rivas take over in LF; Mike Peabody take over in RF; Gabe Matthews assumes 1B; and D'Shawn Knowles line up at SS for the first time since being promoted to High-A.
The Canadians went with a traditional starter, with LHP Naswell Paulino getting the nod against the Dust Devils bullpen evening, which saw RHP Zac Kristofak get a start after a strong outing this previous Sunday against the Hops.
In the 1st inning, there was some early pressure on Paulino as 3B Kyle Kasser got aboard and could make it down to 3B on a backdoor pickoff attempt gone wrong by Canadians catcher Morales sailed the throw down the RF that allowed Kasser to end up at 3B. Gabe Matthews was set down on strikes to end the inning.
The 2nd, much like the first, was excellent for Dust Devils opener Kristofak as he set down the side 1-2-3 to bring up the offense who matched that 1-2-3 energy to put Kristofak back on the mound for the 3rd, as he notched ANOTHER 1-2-3 inning and faced nine batters and set 9 batters down with 5K and no H, BB, or ER allowed in 3IP.
The rain started coming down right as the offense started getting going. RF Peabody reached on a leadoff single, DH Kenyon Yovan followed it up with a single of his own, and CF Jordyn Adams followed those two hits up with a long AB that resulted in a BB to load the bases. 3B Kyler Kasser came up with a golden opportunity to get some early runs on the board for the Dust Devils. He hit a bloop single that confused Canadians LF Davis Schneider, CF Garrett Spain, and SS Leo Jimenez, and neither one of them took charge of the play, and the hit allowed Peabody to score. Right after this play happened, the rain picked up, Jimenez left the game with a hand injury, and the tarp came out.
Fifteen minutes later, the game was suspended and will pick up right where we left off tomorrow at 5:35 pm as they will finish the remainder of the seven-inning game. 40-45 minutes after that, they will play the night's scheduled game, which will also go seven innings. Following the game and a half tomorrow, there will be a fireworks show at GESA Stadium.
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