PASCO, Wash. — Chad Zurat (Clearfield) pitched two strong innings before faltering in his lone appearance for the Tri-City Dust Devils of the Class A Short Season Northwest League last week.
Temperatures hovered around 100 degrees at Gesa Stadium Wednesday night, and Zurat was called on to relieve starter Ryan Castellani with the Dust Devils, a Colorado Rockies farm team, leading the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 5-1 after four innings.
Zurat breezed through the next two frames, striking out the side in the sixth inning.
He walked the first batter and gave up a single to start the seventh. After logging his fifth strikeout, Zurat surrendered a two-run double, ending his outing. That Volcano later scored on an error.
Zurat was in line to notch his second win until Salem-Keizer rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth inning to pull out an 8-7 victory.
Zurat has worked 13 innings in five appearances with 10 strikeouts and only two walks. He’s allowed 23 hits and 15 runs, 13 earned. His earned run average is 9.00.
The Dust Devils are 6-7, one game behind Everett AquaSox in the tight North Division second half race. The four teams are separated by three games as they break for the league’s all-star game.