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Dayton Dragons

Puckett homers again, Dragons win 8-5

May 21, 2009 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Davenport, Iowa-Cody Puckett belted his seventh home run of the season and the Dayton Dragons won for the fifth time in their last six games as they defeated the Quad Cities River Bandits 8-5 on Thursday night. The Dragons (14-26) have won the first two games of the three-game set with Quad Cities (21-18) and have now won back-to-back series for the first time this season. They are 5-1 on their current 10-game road trip.

The Dragons scored five runs in the fourth inning to take a commanding lead. Carlos Mendez doubled to center field to start the inning and Puckett followed with his seventh home run of the season, a long blast to left, that gave Dayton a 2-0 lead. Humberto Sosa followed with a double to left center. After Kevin Coddington grounded out, Andrew Means walked, and Dave Sappelt also walked to load the bases. Miguel Rojas followed with a single to center to bring in both Sosa and Means to make it 4-0. Byron Wiley added a double to center to bring in Sappelt and give the Dragons a 5-0 lead.

Quad Cities scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull to within two at 5-3. The key play in the inning was a fly ball that was lost in the twilight sky by Means, the Dragons center fielder, as two runs scored with two outs.

Dayton took advantage of a defensive meltdown by the River Bandits in the seventh to score three runs. Quad Cities committed four errors in the inning as the Dragons increased their lead to 8-3. Sosa and Sappelt each had RBI singles for Dayton.

Alex Castellanos drilled a two-run home run in the seventh for Quad Cities, but Dragons relievers Mace Thurman and Aguido Gonzalez combined to retire the final seven hitters of the game to preserve the win.

Dragons starting pitcher Lance Janke (1-1) earned the win. He worked five innings, allowing seven hits and three runs with no walks and three strikeouts. Gonzalez pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

Dayton matched a season high with 14 base hits. Sosa and Mendez each had three hits while Rojas had two hits and two walks. Wiley had three walks in addition to his double.

Dayton will play at Quad Cities again on Friday in the finale of the three-game series as the Dragons try for their first series sweep of the year. First pitch is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. (EDT). J.C. Sulbaran (0-0, 3.15) will start for the Dragons. The next home game at Fifth Third Field is Tuesday, May 26th vs. the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

Notes: Sunday's Dragons game at Burlington will be heard on Kiss Country 101.7 FM. All other Dragons games are heard on WING 1410 AM.

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