MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Cougars Even Up Series

Published on July 24, 2007 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Geneva, IL - In the previous seven seasons of Dayton Dragons baseball, the Dragons had never won more than one game in a series at Elfstrom Stadium, the home of the Kane County Cougars. Entering the current four game set, the Dragons all time were 4-24 in the Cougars building but had the chance to take three of four from the home team with a win in the series finale on Tuesday night.

Dayton jumped on Cougars starter Scott Deal (WP, 5-8) in the top of the first inning picking up a run on three singles and a walk. Drew Stubbs scored on an RBI single from Denis Phipps for a 1-0 lead. The Dragons looked poised to take a 2-0 lead as Logan Parker picked up a two out single to center field that appeared would score Juan Francisco, who singled earlier in the inning. Phipps over ran the bag at second and Jermaine Mitchell through to second behind Phipps and caught him for the third out of the inning, before Francisco could cross home plate.

Kane County took the lead off Jordan Smith (ND) as the Dragons turned in a very sloppy defensive inning in the bottom of the second. The Dragons missed out on two potential double plays and a throwing error by Phipps helped out the Cougars in scoring their second run of the inning. Smith failed to cover first base on a possible 3-6-3 double play and second baseman Billy Rojo dropped the exchange on a potential 5-4-3 inning ender. The tying run came home on the second field's choice of the inning off the bat of Larry Cobb. Cobb scored the second run after going first to third on a base hit to right and was given home when Phipps' thrown into third found the Dragons dugout.

The Dragons got the equalizer off Deal in the fourth on an RBI ground out by Tony Esquer. Chris Heisey and Jason Louwsma each picked up singles to and during the inning moved up 90 feet after pulling off the double steal. Esquer's grounder with one down scored Heisey from third to tie the game at 2-2.

The Cougars and Dragons traded runs through the next two innings. KC broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth inning off Smith on a RBI single from Christian Vitters to take a 3-2 lead. Logan Parker slammed a two run homer over the wall in center field in the top of the sixth inning to give the Dragons a short lived 4-3 lead. Travis Webb (LP, 6-5) took over for Smith with two down in the fifth inning and gave up a pair of runs in his first full inning, the bottom of the sixth. Sean Doolittle hit a solo homer to right center to tie the game at 5-5. With two down, Michael Affronti gave the Cougars the lead for good at 6-5 with a bloop single to left that scored Ramiro Mendez.

Deal picked up the win for Kane County, tossing 7.0 innings of nine hit baseball. Andrew Carignan (SV, 1) picked up his first professional save, tossing a scoreless ninth inning.

Following an off day on Wednesday, the Dragons and Peoria Chiefs open up the four game series Thursday night from O'Brien Field with a 8:00 PM first pitch. 1410 ESPN Radio will carry the game live beginning with the Dragons Pre Game Show at 7:30 PM. All Dragons games in 2007 are also streamed live on the internet at www.daytondragons.com via All In Broadcasting. LHP Alexander Smit (0-1, 2.57 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Dragons, while Kane County will counter with RHP Jake Renshaw (10-5, 3.93 ERA).

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Midwest League Stories from July 24, 2007


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