Dragons Drop Doubleheader to Loons on Saturday
April 13, 2013 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release
Dayton, Ohio - Eric Smith belted a grand slam home run to break a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning to lift the Great Lakes Loons to a 5-1 win and a doubleheader sweep of the Dayton Dragons on Saturday night at Fifth Third Field.
Great Lakes won the first game 2-1 in eight innings of a scheduled seven-inning game. The Loons broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the top of the eighth on a one-out RBI single by Corey Seager off the glove of Dragons shortstop Zach Vincej. The Dragons loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the eighth before Great Lakes closer Scott Griggs struck out Seth Mejias-Brean to end the game.
Dayton nearly won the game in the bottom of the seventh. Jeff Gelalich singled to right to start the inning and went to second on Mejias-Brean's sacrifice. Robert Ramirez singled to right and Gelalich attempted to score the winning run from second, but Great Lakes right fielder Jeremy Rathjen made a perfect throw to the plate for the out. Dayton's only run in the game came on a third inning home run by Wagner Gomez.
Dragons first game starting pitcher Drew Cisco was outstanding, going seven innings and allowing one run on seven hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Joel Bender (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing one run in his only inning of work.
In game two, the Dragons took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Jeff Gelalich tripled to the right field corner and scored on Joe Hudson's ground out to shortstop. Great Lakes tied the game in the third on James Baldwin's sacrifice fly to center. Then in the sixth, the Loons put together a two-out rally, getting back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases. The Dragons brought on left-handed reliever Sean Lucas to face the left-hand batting Smith. The count ran to 3-1 when Smith launched a home run over the right field fence to make it 5-1 and close out the scoring.
Dragons starting pitcher Sal Romano (1-1) was a hard-luck loser. He allowed only one unearned run over the first five and two-thirds innings but left the game with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth and was charged with three runs.
The Dragons (3-6) host the Loons (4-4) at Fifth Third Field in the series finale on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Robert Stephenson (0-1, 3.60) will start for Dayton against Great Lakes' Carlos Frias (1-0, 0.00). The Dragons do not play on Monday before returning to action at Lake County on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
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