Hot Rods Rally from Six Down to Top Dragons
April 10, 2011 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release
Dayton, Ohio-The Bowling Green Hot Rods scored seven runs in the seventh inning, battling back from a 6-0 deficit, to defeat the Dayton Dragons 12-9 on Sunday afternoon before a crowd of 7,981 at Fifth Third Field. The Hot Rods took three of four games from the Dragons in the season-opening series.
The Dragons built an early lead against Bowling Green starting pitcher George Jensen. In the first inning, Billy Hamilton led off with a single to right, stole second, and eventually scored on Yorman Rodriguez's ground out to start the scoring. Dayton added three more in the second, keyed by RBI singles by Jaren Matthews and Tucker Barnhart.
In the fourth inning, Donald Lutz belted his first home run of the season, and Matthews followed with a home run as well to make it 6-0. It was the first time the Dragons had connected on back-to-back home runs since July 1, 2010 when Chris Richburg and Cameron Satterwhite hit consecutive home runs.
Dragons starting pitcher Daniel Tuttle was outstanding over the first four innings, allowing just one hit. But Tuttle walked three and allowed three runs in the fifth as Bowling Green pulled to within three at 6-3.
In the seventh, Tim Crabbe relieved Tuttle and ran into trouble. Crabbe issued a pair of walks and base hit to load the bases before Kevin Kiermaier singled up the middle to drive in two runs and make it 6-5. The next batter, Cody Rogers, bunted the ball back to Crabbe, who threw wildly to third allowing two more runs to score as Bowling Green took a 7-6 lead. Porfirio Martinez relieved Crabbe and allowed three more runs in the inning. The Hot Rods were aided by two Dayton errors in the frame as well as two fly ball singles to right field that appeared to be playable as they sent 11 batters to the plate to take a lead of 10-6. Bowling Green's Robbie Price hit a two-run homer off Martinez in the eighth to extend their lead to 12-6.
The Dragons scored three runs in the ninth, keyed by a double off the center field fence by Barnhart and a two-run home run by Dominic D'Anna to close out the scoring.
Dayton finished with 13 hits. Lutz went 3 for 4 with an RBI. Rodriguez, D'Anna, Matthews, and Barnhart each had two hits.
Tuttle worked six innings for the Dragons but was not involved in the decision. He allowed four hits and three earned runs with three walks and three strikeouts.
Crabbe (0-1) was charged with the loss. He did not retire a batter, allowing two hits and five runs (two earned) with two walks. Martinez worked two innings and allowed four earned runs.
Dayton will embark on its first road trip of the season starting Monday at Lake County at 7:00 p.m. Daniel Renken, a right-hander out of Cal State Fullerton, will start for the Dragons.
Notes: The Dragons collected 36 hits over the last three games of the series...Hamilton stole two bases to give him five on the season. He has had at least one hit and one stolen base in each of the four games...The Dragons stole 12 bases but committed 12 errors in the series...D'Anna is batting .600 and has reached base in 10 of his 14 plate appearances...Lutz raised his average to .467.
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