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MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Beloit rallies for 6-5 victory over Dragons

June 4, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, OH - For the second time in as many nights, the Dayton Dragons (27-30) batted around the lineup in a five-run third inning, but it was not enough as the Beloit Snappers (27-28) rallied to take game three of the series 6-5. The Snappers bullpen shut out the Dragons over the final 6.1 innings in front of 8,614 fans at Fifth Third Field on Sunday.

The Snappers got on the scoreboard thanks to a bizarre set of happenings in the first inning. With one out, Steve Tolleson grounded sharply back to the pitcher's mound where Dragons starter Johnny Cueto (ND) was only able to get a glove on the ball to knock it down. Had the ball gone through, it likely would have been an easy putout for the shortstop, but Tolleson was credited with an infield single. After a passed ball, Paul Kelly hit a broken bat groundball towards short. The ball and the broken bat made contact again just before shortstop Eric Eymann could make the play, and the result was a redirected groundball that found a hole into left, scoring Tolleson, and giving the Snappers a 1-0 advantage. Eric Lis followed with a ground-rule double to put runners at second and third, but Cueto pitched his way out of the jam with two strikeouts to end the inning.

Beloit added a run in more conventional fashion in the second. Walks to Andrew Thompson and Josh Land put runners at first and second with two outs, and Tolleson followed with an RBI single to push the Beloit lead to 2-0.

Then came the big third inning for the Dragons. Mike DeJesus led off the inning with a bunt single off Beloit starter Ryan Mullins (ND), but was erased on a fielder's choice off the bat of Mike Griffin. Eymann walked, and both he and Griffin came around to score on a triple from Jay Bruce that knotted the game at two apiece. After a walk to B.J. Szymanski, Habelito Hernandez singled home Bruce, and Dayton had their first lead at 3-2. Gerardo Cabrera drew the third walk of the inning to load the bases with one out. Angel Colon struck out, but Chris Denove provided a big two out, two-RBI single to push the Dragons advantage to 5-2. That was the end of the day for Mullins as David Shinskie (ND) was called out of the bullpen to get the final out of the inning. All total, the Dragons sent 10 hitters to the plate in the third, scoring five runs on four hits and three walks.

Beloit answered immediately off Cueto in the fourth. Three doubles in a row off the bats of Henry Sanchez, Thompson, and Allan de San Miguel resulted in two more Snapper runs, and the lead was just one for Dayton at 5-4. Beloit tied the game in the 6th inning off Dragons reliever Jeff Stevens (ND). The first pitch Stevens threw in the ballgame was deposited behind the Dragons Lair for a home run by Henry Sanchez to even the game at 5-5.

The game stayed tied until the 9th. Blake Hendley (LP, 1-2) allowed a one-out single to de San Miguel to put the go ahead run on base. Terrence Patterson pinch ran at first base, and his speed proved to be a difference maker. Land hit a slow ground ball to DeJesus at second, who fielded and threw to Eymann for the attempted force out. Patterson was already at the bag when the throw arrived, and the Dragons did not get anyone out on the fielder's choice. Toby Gardenhire, who entered the game after Tolleson was struck in the helmet with a pitch in the fourth inning, would come through with an RBI single to give Beloit the lead back at 6-5.

Yohan Pino (WP, 4-1) pitched a scoreless 8th inning for the victory. Frank Mata (S, 2) set down the Dragons in order in the ninth to earn the save, and preserve the 6-5 victory for the Snappers.

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