MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Chapman Leads Dragons to Big Win

Published on May 18, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Lansing, Mich.-Dayton's Stephen Chapman hit two home runs, drove in four runs, scored four times, and stole three bases as the Dragons routed the Lansing Lugnuts 11-2 on Monday night. The win gave the Dragons their first three game winning streak of the season.

Chapman, recently signed as a free agent after being released by the Milwaukee Brewers, became the first Dragons player to hit two homers in the same game this season. He also established Dragons 2009 highs for runs scored and stolen bases in a game.

The set team highs for runs in a game, home runs in a game, and largest winning margin. The victory also lifted the Dragons out of last place in the Midwest League Eastern Division for the first time since May 1st.

The Dragons got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning when Dave Sappelt doubled over the head of the left fielder, went to third on Miguel Rojas' single to center, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Day to make it 1-0.

In the fourth, Humberto Sosa singled with two outs and Chapman followed with a home run to right field, his second of the year, to give Dayton a 3-0 lead.

Lansing scored a single run in the bottom of the fourth when Dragons starting pitcher Matt Fairel walked Jon Del Campo with two outs and Justin McClanahan hit a drive that was just beyond the reach of Sappelt, who made a diving try, and Del Campo scored on the two-base hit to make it 3-1. Lansing's Brian Van Kirk homered in the sixth to make it 3-2.

But Dayton answered with two runs in the top of the seventh on back-to-back run-scoring doubles by Jose Gualdron and Sappelt to extend the lead to 5-2. Then in the eighth, the Dragons put the game out of reach with four more runs. Sosa led off with his first home run of the season and Gualdron later added a two-run double. Chapman belted a two-run home run in the ninth to close out the scoring.

Dayton finished with 14 base hits. Chapman led the way with three. Sappelt, Rojas, Sosa, and Gualdron each had two.

Fairel (2-2) picked up the win and took over the league lead in strikeouts. He went six innings, allowing five hits and two runs with two walks and four strikeouts.

The Dragons wrap up the series in Lansing with a morning game on Tuesday that will start at 10:35 a.m. Josh Ravin (1-4, 5.19) will start for Dayton against Lansing's Henderson Alvarez (4-3, 3.32). Dayton will open a three-game set at Quad Cities on Wednesday night.

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Midwest League Stories from May 18, 2009


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