EUGENE – Keythel Key’s solid start and 2B Adrian Placencia’s 5th inning solo shot proved pivotal Saturday night for the Tri-City Dust Devils (14-9 2H, 44-45), who took a 2-1 win over the Eugene Emeralds (17-5 2H, 49-39) to even their short three-game series at PK Park coming out of the All-Star Break.
Both starting pitchers had fared well against their opponents coming into the game, and both continued in that train. Key (3-5) gave up just one run, unearned, and three hits over 5.1 innings, striking out five and walking only one. His counterpart, Eugene righty Josh Bostick (4-4), was similarly stingy, giving up a run on two hits in his first four innings. In fact, both team’s first runs of the night came in the same scenario: the pressure of a runner stealing third caused an errant throw from the catcher. Tri-City SS Capri Ortiz scored in that fashion in the top of the 1st after drawing a walk and first stealing second, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. Emeralds CF Jonah Cox then scored similarly, doubling to the opposite field in the bottom of the 3rd and then stealing and scoring to tie the game.
Placencia’s longball ended up the game-winning blow, a deep drive to right with two outs in the top of the 5th that landed over the right field wall on the roof over the Eugene bullpen. The switch-hitting second baseman’s tenth home run of the season provided the 2-1 margin that Key and the Dust Devils bullpen held the rest of the way. Dylan Phillips got the final five outs for his seventh save of the year, getting the last two by inducing a game-ending double play…