MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons Game Day For Friday, April 16

Published on April 16, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dragons GameDay

Friday, April 16, 2010 Game # 9

Parkview field * Fort Wayne, Ind. * 7:05 p.m.

Radio: 1410 ESPN Radio WING-AM

Dayton Dragons (5-3) at Fort Wayne TinCaps (5-3)

RH J.C. Sulbaran (0-0, 5.40) vs. RH Dexter Carter (0-1, 3.60)

Today's Game: The Dragons (affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds) meet the TinCaps (affiliate of the San Diego Padres) in the finale of a three-game series. This is also the wrap-up to a six-game trip for Dayton. The Dragons went 2-1 at Bowling Green in the first three games of the trip.

Season Series: Fort Wayne 2, Dayton 0.

Last Night: In the latest example of the succession of close games the Dragons have played since the start of the season, Dayton fell to Fort Wayne 5-4 as the TinCaps pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning. The game was tied at one, two, three, and four. Both teams led at some point during the game but neither club led by more than one run. Dayton had a season-high 14 hits including three by Andrew Means, who raised his batting average to .389. Didi Gregorius collected his fifth multi-hit game of the season and delivered his first home run of the season (second of his career). Henry Rodriguez extended his hitting streak to eight straight games in the eighth game of the year.

Today's Starting Pitcher: J.C. Sulbaran makes his second start of the season and road trip tonight. In his last start Sunday at Bowling Green, Sulbaran did not receive a decision (5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO). He is a 20-year-old native of Willemstad, Curacao. He spent the entire 2009 season with the Dragons, going 5-5 with a 5.24 ERA. Sulbaran is rated as the 25th best prospect in Reds organization by Baseball America. He pitched for Team Netherlands in 2009 World Baseball Classic, striking out former all-star catcher Ivan Rodriguez on three pitches. He also pitched for the Netherlands in the Olympics in Beijing in 2008. He is one of three players from his high school team to be drafted in 2008. Sulbaran moved with family to Plantation, Florida during his high school career and was the Miami-area pitcher of the year in 2008 as he helped American Heritage High School to state championship, going 11-0 with a 1.40 earned run average. Sulbaran had signed a National Letter of Intent to play at the University of Florida before signing with Reds.

Skipper: Todd Benzinger is in his second season with the Dragons and in the Reds organization as a manager in 2010. Benzinger enjoyed a nine-year major league playing career from 1987-1995 with the Reds, Red Sox, Royals, Dodgers, and Giants. Todd is a former first baseman who recorded the final putout of the 1990 World Series with the Reds to complete their four-game sweep of the Oakland A's. Benzinger is a native of the Cincinnati area and currently resides in West Chester, Ohio.

Individual Notes

* Henry Rodriguez has hit safely in all eight Dragons games this season.

* Rodriguez is one of two everyday players in the league without a strikeout (39 at-bats). He is tied for second in the league in RBI with nine and is tied for the league lead in extra base hits with six.

* Didi Gregorius and Andrew Means are tied for the league lead in hits with 14. Both have five multi-hit games.

* In the five games played on the current road trip, Means leads the team in batting at .391. He is now fifth in the league in batting at .389.

* Rodriguez, Gregorius, Andrew Means, and Byron Wiley have played every inning of all eight games.

* The Dragons roster includes four players who are ranked among the Reds top 30 prospects by Baseball America. They include shortstop DiDi Gregorius (#15), pitcher Donnie Joseph (#21), pitcher J.C. Sulbaran (#25) and outfielder Byron Wiley (#29).

Team Notes

* The Dragons hope to get back in the win column tonight and end a three-game losing streak that has come after they won the first five games of the season.

* Five of the Dragons eight games have been decided by one run, two by two runs, and one by three runs. The Dragons have played three extra inning games. Four games have been tied going into the ninth inning. The Dragons are the only team in the league to see all eight games decided by three runs or less (only two other teams among the 16 teams in the league have had 7 games decided by 3 or less).

* The Dragons are one of two teams in the league that has been leading or tied at the end of the seventh inning in all eight games.

* The Dragons have come from behind to win in four of their eight games. They held the league in their three losses, leaving only one game this season in which there was not a lead change (Dragons 8-6 win Sunday night at Bowling Green).

* The Dragons have already belted two grand slam home runs this season after hitting two in all of 2009.

* The Dragons have hit home runs in seven of their eight games (total of eight on the year). They are second in the league in homers.

* The Dragons have scored at least four runs in seven of their eight games.

* Dragons starting pitchers have not been the pitcher of record in any of the eight games. Relievers have earned all eight decisions.

* The Dragons roster includes 14 players who have previously played for the club. Catcher Kevin Coddington and outfielder Byron Wiley each spent the entire 2009 season with the Dragons. Pitchers Ezequiel Infante, Donnie Joseph, Junior Martinez, Josh Ravin, J.C. Sulbaran, Justin Walker, and Chase Ware; catcher Jordan Wideman; infielders Kevyn Feiner, and Frank Pfister; and outfielders Andrew Means and Alex Oliveras all spent part of 2009 with the Dragons. Coddington, Wiley, Wideman, Pfister, and Ravin were all on the Dragons '09 opening night roster.

Upcoming Probable Pitchers (All game times are Dayton time)

Saturday (7:00 p.m.): Dayton RH Jacob Johnson (0-0, 9.00) vs. South Bend LH Dan Taylor (0-1, 5.40)

Sunday (2:00 p.m.): Dayton RH Josh Ravin (0-0, 2.08) vs. South Bend LH Mike Belfiore (0-1, 4.70)

Monday (7:00 p.m.): Dayton RH Pedro Villarreal (0-0, 3.27) vs. South Bend RH Charles Brewer (0-2, 3.60)

Check out the Dayton Dragons Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from April 16, 2010


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