MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons Gameday For Friday, April 30

Published on April 30, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Friday, April 30, 2010 Game # 22

Fifth Third Field * Dayton, Ohio * 7:07 p.m.

Radio: 1410 ESPN Radio WING-AM

Television: WHIO Digital Channel 7.2

Bowling Green Hot Rods (5-16) at Dayton Dragons (10-11)

RH Shane Dyer (1-1, 1.57) vs. RH Josh Ravin (0-1, 1.37)

Today's Game: The Dragons (affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds) host the Hot Rods (affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays) in the first game of a four-game series. Both teams are struggling entering this series. Bowling Green has lost 11 of their last 13 games. The Dragons have lost six of their last seven. The Dragons are 1-2 on their current seven-game home stand.

Season Series: Dayton 2, Bowling Green 1.

Last Night: Lake County defeated Dayton 4-1 to take two of three games in the series. Lake County starting pitcher Trey Haley allowed just two hits over seven strong innings to earn the win. Chris Kersten hit a solo home run for Lake County. The Dragons collected only three hits. Didi Gregorius went 2 for 4 with an RBI triple to lead the way. Dragons starting pitcher Pedro Villarreal was saddled with the loss. Over his first five innings, he allowed just two men to reach base, but was touched for two runs in the sixth.

Today's Starting Pitcher: Josh Ravin is a 22-year-old native of Tarzana, California. Ravin started the first game of the last road series at Lansing on Friday and suffered his first loss (5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO). Ravin was selected by the Reds in the fifth round of the 2006 draft out of Chatsworth High School, a powerhouse team that won a state-record 54 straight games during Ravin's tenure. Ravin spent the entire 2009 season with the Dragons, allowing two earned runs or less in 10 of his 15 starts. Ravin was the Dragons Pitcher of the Month for June, going 2-1, 1.80 in five starts. He did not pitch after June 25 due to an elbow injury.

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 leads all Single-A players (60 teams) in plate appearance/strikeout ratio with four strikeouts in 94 plate appearances.

* Mark Fleury is batting .333 over his last eight games.

* Chris Richburg is batting .298 with two home runs including a grand slam home run, five doubles, and 13 RBI over his last 15 games.

* Donnie Joseph has allowed just one run in nine relief appearances covering 10.0 scoreless innings. He has struck out 15.

* 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

* At 10-11, the Dragons have slipped below the .500 mark for the first time this season.

* The Dragons struggled offensively in their last series with Lake County that ended last night. They hit .178 as a team in the series. Dayton lost by identical scores of 4-1 both Wednesday and Thursday.

* The Dragons have four "walk-off" wins this season, matching their total for all of 2009.

* The Dragons are 7-5 at home; 3-6 on the road. They are batting .246 at home; .239 on the road. The team ERA is 3.13 at home; 5.08 on the road. Dragons opponents are batting .245 in Dayton; .301 on the road. Dragons pitchers have a 31-103 walk-strikeout ratio at home; 32-57 on the road.

* The Dragons are 5-1 in one-run games at home; 0-3 in one-run games on the road. Dayton won seven one-run home games in all of 2009.

* Five of the 21 Dragons games have gone to extra innings. Dayton is 3-0 in home extra inning games. Dayton played five extra inning games at home in all of 2009, winning three.

* Nine of the Dragons 21 games have been decided by one run, two by two runs, and six by three runs. Only four games have been decided by more than three runs. Six games have been tied going into the ninth inning.

* The Dragons have held the lead in 17 of their 21 games this season. They have come from behind to win in seven of their 10 victories.

* The Dragons roster includes 13 players who have previously played for the club. Outfielder Byron Wiley spent the entire 2009 season with the Dragons. Pitchers Ezequiel Infante, Mark James, Donnie Joseph, Junior Martinez, Josh Ravin, 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. Catcher Kevin Coddington and pitcher J.C. Sulbaran, both currently on the disabled list, spent 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 (7:05 p.m.): Dayton RH Brian Pearl (1-1, 4.74) vs. Bowling Green RH Wilking Rodriguez (1-1, 2.74)

Sunday (2:00 p.m.): Dayton LH Justin Walker (0-2, 6.16) vs. Bowling Green RH Jason McEachern (0-3, 5.79)

Monday (7:00 p.m.): Dayton RH Jacob Johnson (0-2, 6.38) vs. Bowling Green RH Kyle Lobstein (0-2, 4.58)

Check out the Dayton Dragons Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from April 30, 2010


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