MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dayton comes from behind, loses lead, loses game, loses streak

Published on August 21, 2005 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


South Bend, IN - The Dayton Dragons (23-34, 53-74) had not won six games in a row since June of 2002 and were looking for the team's longest winning streak in 2005 with a win over the South Bend Silver Hawks (33-23, 74-52) at Coveleski Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Dragons fell behind early and battled back with three runs in the top half of the eighth inning, but ultimately fell short as South Bend rallied for two in the eighth and picked up a 5-4 win, snapping the Dragons winning streak.

Dayton starter Joe Powers (ND) struggled with control early on, going to three ball no strike counts on five of the first seven South Bend hitters he faced. Trouble with control in the second inning would lead to the first scoring opportunity of the game for the Hawks and a 1-0 lead. Powers walked back-to-back hitters to open the inning, Carlos Gonzales and Cesar Nicolas. Wilkin Castillo moved each runner up 90 feet with a ground out to first and Jereme Milons got the run home with a RBI grounder to second.

Dayton tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning off Silver Hawk starter Steven Jackson (ND). Jorge Mejia gapped a double off the base of the wall in right center field and was in scoring position for Cody Strait. The Dragons centerfielder who set a club record with a 19 game hit streak, cam through with a two out RBI single to center field to score Mejia and tie the game up.

Carlos Bohorquez (ND) replaced Powers to start the fourth inning and threw a one-two-three frame to start his afternoon. A lead off walk to Milons in the bottom of the fifth set the Hawks up to take the lead. Travis Gulick moved Milons to second with a sac bunt and advanced to third on Billy Lockin's ground out to short. With two down, Emilio Bonafacio knocked an RBI single into right field for a 2-1 South Bend lead.

Jackson scattered seven hits over the 5.0 innings he worked on the afternoon leaving with the lead in favor of Josh Perrault (ND). Perrault was lights out until the eighth inning, retiring the first six Dragons he faced. Gutierrez led off the eighth with a base hit to left and moved to second base when Perrault hit Piepkorn with a pitch. Kroski picked up his second hit of the game and knocked in a run with a single to left to pull Dayton within 3-2. A Trevor Lawhorn sac bunt moved runners to second and third with one down. Todd Stein (ND) entered the game and intentionally walked Jordan Belcher to load the bases. Stein faced just one hitter, as Matt Elliott (W, 3-4) came on and threw gas on the fire. Elliott walked Bradley Key for tie the game at 3-3 and gave up a RBI single to Mejia to give Dayton a 4-3 lead before getting out of the inning.

Aaron Garrison (L, 0-1) could not hold the lead. After giving up a run to the Hawks in the bottom of the seventh inning, the right hander surrendered two more in the eighth to put South Bend back on top at 5-4. Gonzales tripled off the wall in right center field and was wild pitched home by Garrison to tie the game at 4-4. Garrison would walk Nicholas and allow a base hit to Castillo to put runners at first and second. An intentional walk to pinch hitter Brandon Simon loaded the bases for Lockin. Jared Sanders (ND) came in out of the bullpen and got a grounder off the bat of Lockin but the go ahead run scored and South Bend had the 5-4 lead.

Elliott set the Dragons down one-two-three in the ninth to pick up the win and snap Dayton's five game win streak.

The Dragons wrap up the four game series at South Bend Monday night. The finale of the four game series from Coveleski Stadium begins at 8:00 PM, with RHP Ramon Ramirez getting the start for the Dragons. The Silver Hawks will counter with RHP Koley Kolberg. The pre game show begins on 1410 ESPN Radio WING AM at 7:30 PM.

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Midwest League Stories from August 21, 2005


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