Dayton, Ohio-The Peoria Chiefs rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth inning to come from behind and defeat the Dayton Dragons 4-3 in the series opener Tuesday night at Fifth Third Field. The win extended Peoria's winning streak to six straight. The Dragons have won seven of their last 10 games despite the loss.
Dragons reliever Aguido Gonzalez (0-4) took a 3-2 lead to the ninth. Peoria's Javon Rosa lined a single to center to start the inning and was replaced by pinch runner Drew Rundle. Gonzalez struck out Michael Brenly, but Junior Lake reached on a fielding error by Dragons third baseman Carlos Mendez and Rundle moved to second. Nelson Perez lined a hit to left and Rundle scored to tie the game and Lake went around to third. David Macias grounded out slowly to second base as Lake scored to give Peoria a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, the first two Dragons batters were retired before Miguel Rojas walked on a 3-2 pitch. With Josh Fellhauer at the plate, Rojas attempted to advance to second on a pitch in the dirt but was thrown out easily to end the game.
It was just the third time in 2009 that Dayton lost a game in which they had the lead at the end of the seventh inning.
Peoria scored two runs in the top of the first inning against Dayton's Mark Serrano, who was making his first professional start. Rebel Ridling's run-scoring triple keyed the inning.
Dayton tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth on a two-run home run by Byron Wiley, his 11th homer of the season.
In the sixth, the Dragons took the lead. Wiley lined a single to center field with one out to start the rally. Cody Puckett followed with a bunt single that Peoria third baseman Jovan Rosa fielded and threw wildly to first. Wiley raced around to third on the error and then, realizing no one was covering home, sprinted in to score the tie-breaking run and give Dayton a 3-2 lead.
Serrano, a 2nd Team All-American at Oral Roberts this spring, went five innings in his first start. He allowed six hits and two runs with no walks and five strikeouts.
Ezequiel Infante fired two scoreless for Dayton and Donnie Joseph got the first two outs in the eighth before Gonzalez came in to get the final out with a runner at second base and set the stage for the ninth inning.
The Dragons finished with nine hits. Kevin Coddington went 3 for 3 with a walk. Wiley and Puckett each added two hits.
The Dragons (14-17, 42-59) battle the Chiefs (16-15, 54-46) again on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. J.C. Sulbaran (2-2, 4.85) will start for Dayton.
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