MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons and Lugnuts Split a Pair

Published on June 25, 2004 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, OH – The Dayton Dragons (1-1, 28-44) and the Lansing Lugnuts (1-1, 39-33) took care of a little unfinished business Friday night at Fifth Third Field, completing Thursday night's suspended game and playing the regularly scheduled second game of the four game series. The Dragons came from behind and gave away a lead and eventually won the suspended game in 10 innings by a 10-9 score. The second game on the night was a close game until the Dayton bullpen was hit for four eighth inning runs by the Lugnuts, which propelled the visitors to a 7-2 second game victory.

The Dragons and Lugnuts watched the rain come down as Lansing was threatening to take the lead in the top of the seventh on Thursday. The game was eventually suspended tied at 7-7 to be completed before Friday's second game of the series. Trey Rice (W, 1-3) entered into a one out first and third spot for the Dragons and gave up a RBI single to the first pitch he threw on the night. The Drew Larsen RBI single gave Lansing an 8-7 lead. The Lugnuts would add one more run in the top of the eighth inning to take a 9-7 advantage to the bottom of the ninth.

The Dragons would force extra innings off the MWL leader in saves, Adelberto Mendez (L, 3-3). In the ninth, Chris Dickerson picked up a one out single and would score on a triple from Luis Bolivar to pull Dayton within one at 8-7. With Bolivar at third, Joey Votto lifted a fly ball into center field to tie the score at 9-9 with a SAC fly. Dayton would plate the winning run in the 10th off Mendez on a lead off single by Ben Himes, a SAC bunt from Habelito Hernandez that moved Himes to second and a two out walk off single to right field by Miguel Perez.

The regularly scheduled game on Friday night was more of a pitchers duel as the Dragons sent righty David Shafer (ND) to the hill opposite Lansing southpaw Justin Jones (ND). Each starter would work 4.0 innings and neither would factor in the decision. Shafer allowed one run while Jones gave up a pair. The game was played much closer to the vest than Thursday's game and was knotted at 2-2 heading into the top of the seventh inning.

Dirt Ursin (L, 0-2) was the second of three Dragons pitchers to throw on the night and began to set a dangerous tone for the Dayton bullpen of falling behind hitters early in the count. From the fifth inning on, Lansing's lead off man reached every inning facing the Dragons pen. The Lugnuts plated one in the seventh off Ursin and four more runs in the eighth off the combination of Ursin and Carlos Bohorquez (ND) and took a 7-2 advantage to the bottom of the eighth inning. On the game Ursin allowed five earned runs in 3.1 innings with two strikeouts and four walks, while Bohorquez gave up an earned run in 1.2 innings with one K and two walks.

Randy Wells benefited from the run scoring innings and picked up his third win of the season. The right hander did not allow a hit, but was far from sharp in the 3.0 innings he worked walking and strikeout four batters. Juan Mateo was the sharpest pitcher to take the hill all night, retiring all six Dayton batters he faced, four by strikeout.

Dayton and Lansing will continue the four game series with game three from Fifth Third Field on Saturday night at 7:05 PM. Dayton will send RHP Brock Till to the mound, while Lansing counters with RHP Ronald Bay. 1410 ESPN Radio will broadcast the game live beginning at 6:30 PM with the pre game show. The game will also be televised live by Time Warner Television channel 25 through out the Miami Valley beginning at 7:00 PM.

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Midwest League Stories from June 25, 2004


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