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MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Devil Rays Thwart Dragons Rally to Win 5-3

May 20, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Battle Creek, MI - The Dayton Dragons (22-21) entered play on Saturday night with the best road record in the Midwest League at 12-7. The Southwest Michigan Devil Rays (23-19) entered play with a home record at C.O. Brown stadium of 12-8. Home cooking won out as the Devil Rays jumped out to a 5-0 lead and then hung on in the ninth as the Dragons rallied to get to within two before falling in the opening game of the four game series 5-3.

Jake McGee (WP, 4-5) was his own best friend Saturday and at times his own worst enemy. The Devil Rays left hander struck out 10 Dragons in 5.1 innings of work. Southwest Michigan pitchers are limited to 95 pitches in a starting appearance by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and McGee helped to run his up own pitch count issuing six walks on the night. Other than the walks, McGee was phenomenal, not allowing a hit during his time on the hill.

Dayton starter Jeff Stevens (LP, 2-3) matched McGee up until the third inning when the Devil Rays got on the board with a pair of runs coming with two down in the inning. J.T. Hall gave the Devil Rays a 2-0 lead with an opposite field double to left field that scored both John Matulia, who led off the inning with a single and Garrett Groce, who picked up a two out walk.

Matt Spring extended the lead to 3-0 with a solo home run in the home half of the fourth inning. In the fifth, the Rays picked up another pair of runs off Stevens on back-to-back singles by Rhyne Hughes and Christian Lopez running the count to 5-0 SWM. Hughes was the last Rays hitter to face Stevens who was lifted after 4.2 innings. Lopez's hit came off Russell Haltiwanger (ND). Stevens allowed five hits and five runs, four earned, on the night. The right hander struck out six and walked four.

The Dragons got on the board in the top of the seventh, to end the shutout bid by the Rays, scoring its first run of the night off SWM reliever Aaron Walker (ND) Gerardo Cabrera doubled to left to lead off the inning and moved to third on a Mike Griffin fly out to right. Eric Eymann picked up the first of his two runs batted in on a ground ball and Dayton trailed 5-1.

After Walked finished his night at 2.2 innings pitched, Drew Bigda came in out of the Devil Rays pen but provided little relief. Bigda walked J.D. Reininger to lead off the inning. A fielder's choice erased Reininger and put Cabrera at first. Griffin singled to left to put runners at first and second, before a Bigda wild pitch moved Cabrera to third. Eymann knocked home Cabrera with a SAC fly to right to right to cut the lead to 5-2. Bigda got the Rays to within one strike of a win before Jay Bruce picked up his 31st RBI of the season with a gap triple to right center to cut the lead to 5-3.

What was a non-save situation heading into the ninth turned into a save situation with the tying run in B.J. Szymanski coming to the plate. Greg Dupas (SV, 12) retired Szymanski on one pitch on a ground out to second base to preserve the win for McGee.

The Dragons and Devil Rays continue the four game series Sunday afternoon from C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek, Michigan. LHP Travis Wood (3-0, 4.26 ERA) gets the start for the Dragons, while Southwest Michigan will counter with RHP Wade Davis (3-0, 1.08 ERA). 1410 ESPN Radio WING AM will carry the game live beginning with the Dragons pre game show at 3:00 PM. Sunday's first pitch is scheduled for 3:35 PM. All Dragons games in 2006 can also be heard live on the internet at www.daytondragons.com.

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