MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons Flex First Inning Muscles in 6-1 Win

Published on August 16, 2007 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Midland, MI - The Dayton Dragons were happy to be east of the Mississippi River. After completing the "Iowa swing" on the team's current 10 game road trip at 2-6, not heading west of Illinois would suite the Dragons just fine. Dow Diamond, the home field of the Great Lakes Loons is, from a mileage stand point as far away from Iowa as you can get in the Midwest League. The distance for the Dragons worked as they scored five runs in the top half of the first inning on route to a 6-1 series opening win.

Loons starter Kyle Smit (LP, 0-2) entered Thursday start with a 10.12 ERA and in the top of the first inning, did nothing to help out his own cause. Dayton tagged the right hander for five runs, all earned, jumping out to a 5-0 advantage. Smit plunked Keltavious Jones with the second pitch of the night. Jones went to second base on a wild pitch and moved to third on Justin Turner's infield single. Juan Francisco delivered the pair home with a two run triple to right center. When Preston Mattingly's relay throw missed the third baseman, Francisco came home on the error for a 3-0 lead. Dayton was not done and Smit was not done helping. The Loons pitcher walked Logan Parker and then served up a two run blast to Drew Stubbs. Stubbs' second homer away from Fifth Third Field and his 10th of the season ran the score to 5-0.

Travis Webb (WP, 7-5) mowed down Great Lakes in the bottom of the first inning with a one, two, three frame. In the top of the second inning, Eduardo Perez led off the frame with his 13th homer of the season. The solo shot to left got the Loons on the board at 5-1. That would be the only run that Webb would allow in his 5.0 innings of work on the night. The southpaw gave up three hits, struck out three and walked one batter on the night.

Dan Donaldson (ND) turned in one of his best outings of the season out of the Dayton bullpen, shutting out Great Lakes over the 3.0 innings he worked after entering the game in the bottom of the sixth replacing Webb. Donaldson struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth inning, his final on the night.

Dayton added a single tally in the top of the eighth inning to run the score up to 6-1. Parker led off the inning with a mile high pop up on the right side of the infield. Joe Jones (ND) who replaced Smit to begin the seventh inning was the only Great Lakes player near the ball and dropped the pop up and Parker reached, a Stubbs SAC bunt moved Parker to scoring position at second base. With one down, Carson Kainer who extended his hitting streak to nine with a fourth inning double, singled to left scoring Parker to extend the lead back to five.

Terrell Young (ND) tossed his 14th consecutive scoreless inning blanking the Loons in the ninth inning to preserve Webb's seventh win of the year. After a lead off single, Young got tough striking out two of the next three hitters he faced, including Carlos Santana looking to end the game.

The Dragons and Loons wrap up the quick two game series Friday night from the Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan with a 7:05 PM first pitch. 1410 ESPN Radio will carry the game live beginning with the Dragons Pre Game Show at 6:30 PM. All Dragons games in 2007 are also streamed live on the internet at www.daytondragons.com via All In Broadcasting. RHP Rafael Gonzalez (12-5, 3.21 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Dragons. The Loons are slated to throw LHP James Adkins (0-1, 2.40 ERA).

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Midwest League Stories from August 16, 2007


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