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MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Downs Dashes in with Tie-Breaking Run as Dragons Win, 3-2

July 4, 2018 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, Ohio - Dayton's Jeter Downs raced around to score the tie-breaking run from second base in the bottom of the eighth inning and John Ghyzel pitched a perfect ninth as the Dragons edged the Lake County Captains 3-2 on Wednesday night. A 4th of July crowd of 7,708 was in attendance at Fifth Third Field.

The Dragons held a 2-0 lead until Lake County tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth. Downs led off the bottom of the eighth with a high fly ball that Captains left fielder Oscar Gonzalez lost in the twilight sky. Downs cruised into second base when the ball fell about five steps in front of Gonzalez. The next batter, Leandro Santana, hit a chopper toward third that was fielded by Elvis Perez. When Perez threw to first to get Santana, Downs broke for third, slid in safely, and then raced in to score when the throw from first baseman Ulysses Cantu skipped off Perez's glove. The play gave the Dragons a 3-2 lead.

Ghyzel entered the game to pitch the ninth and got an outstanding defensive play from Santana at first base to start the inning, then retired the next two batters on routine ground outs. Ghyzel earned his league-leading 15th save.

Dragons starting pitcher Packy Naughton was exceptional, firing seven shutout innings. Naughton allowed just five hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Naughton pitched out of a bases loaded, nobody out jam in the seventh. He left the game with a 2-0 lead but was not involved in the decision. Reliever Miguel Aguilar (2-0) was credited with the win after getting the final out in the top of the eighth after surrendering a game-tying single to Gonzalez.

The Dragons scored the game's first run in the second inning after back-to-back walks with two outs to J.D. Williams and Mark Kolozsvary and an error that allowed Williams to score from second. In the sixth, the Dragons scored again when Williams tripled with two outs and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

The Dragons finished with only five hits. Alejo Lopez had a double high off the right field fence that missed by less than two feet of leaving the ballpark.

The Dragons have won seven of their last 10 games and have won eight of nine home games this season against Lake County.

Notes: The Dragons activated outfielder Lorenzo Cedrola prior to Wednesday's game. He was acquired in a trade with the Boston Red Sox in exchange for international signing bonus cap space. First baseman Montrell Marshall was placed on the restricted list...Dragons pitchers have allowed three runs or less in four straight games...Naughton has not allowed a run over his last two starts covering 13 innings.

Up Next: The Dragons (7-7, 38-44) close out the brief two-game set with Lake County (5-8, 34-49) at Fifth Third Field on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. Adrian Rodriguez (4-4, 7.20) will start for Dayton against Lake County's Francisco Perez (5-5, 3.73). A win would lift the Dragons above the .500 mark in the second half for the first time. They started the half with four straight losses.

For Dragons 2018 ticket information, call (937) 228-2287.

Game Broadcast: All Dragons games are broadcast on radio on Fox Sports 980 WONE and on the internet at wone.com. Games are also available on the Dayton Dragons mobile app.

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