MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons Again Go to Extra Innings but Fall in Fort Wayne

Published on June 12, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Fort Wayne, Ind.-Kevin Hansen's single to left field with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning brought in the winning run from second base as the Fort Wayne TinCaps defeated the Dayton Dragons 5-4 on Friday night. The TinCaps have won all 10 meetings with the Dragons this season including five straight games that were decided by one run.

Amazingly, all seven games the Dragons have played on their current road trip have been decided by one run and four of the last five games have gone to extra innings. The Dragons are 2-5 on the trip that concludes Saturday night.

The Dragons took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Stephen Chapman walked with one out and Jake Long followed with a two-run home run to left field. It was Long's first homer since 2007.

Dragons starting pitcher J.C. Sulbaran issued five walks in the bottom of the second inning and allowed three runs as Fort Wayne took a 3-2 lead.

The Dragons regained the lead in the fourth, getting a pair of singles by Carlos Mendez and Long followed by a two-run double by Kevin Coddington to make it 4-3. Fort Wayne tied the game in the sixth.

Dayton had a great chance to get the lead in the top of the ninth. With one out, Miguel Rojas walked and Mendez singled to left to move Rojas to third. But Cody Puckett popped out to shallow right and Stephen Chapman struck out to strand Rojas at third.

The Dragons loaded the bases in the 10th, getting a single by Coddington and a pair of two-out walks to Andrew Means and Dave Sappelt, but Rojas grounded out to first to end the threat.

In the bottom of the 10th, Dragons reliever Jordan Hotchkiss (0-1) retired the first hitters before yielding a double to left-center field by Robert Lara. Hansen followed by with a looping fly ball to shallow left beyond the reach of Rojas, the Dayton shortstop, as Lara scored the winning run to end the game.

The Dragons finished with nine hits, but had only two after the fifth inning. They left 13 runners on base. Rojas, Mendez, Long, and Coddington all had two hits.

The Dragons (24-37) battle the TinCaps (39-22) again on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. in Fort Wayne to wrap up the series and the road trip. Matt Fairel (4-2, 2.20) will start for the Dragons against Anthony Bass (3-3, 2.24). The next home game is Sunday at Fifth Third Field at 4:00 p.m. against the Lansing Lugnuts.

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Midwest League Stories from June 12, 2009


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