MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons Gameday for Wednesday, August 18

Published on August 18, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Wednesday, August 18, 2010 * Game # 119 (50)

Dow Diamond * Midland, Mich. * 7:05 p.m.

Radio: 1410 ESPN Radio WING-AM

Dayton Dragons (11-38, 41-77) at Great Lakes Loons (35-15, 78-41)

RH Clayton Shunick (0-1, 3.78) vs. RH Allen Webster (11-7, 2.72)

Today's Game: The Dragons (affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds) meet the Loons (affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers) in the first game of a three-game set. This is game four of a six-game road trip for Dayton.

Season Series: Great Lakes 9, Dayton 4. (At Great Lakes: Great Lakes 2, Dayton 2).

Streaks: Dayton: Lost 2 (Lost 30 of last 34). Great Lakes: Lost 1 (Lost 5 of last 7).

Last Game: Lake County defeated Dayton on Monday in 11 innings, 11-10. The Captains won two of three in the series. Dayton battled back from an 8-7 deficit to score three runs in the top of the ninth inning and take a 10-8 lead, only to see Lake County score two in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Lake County scored the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the 11th on an RBI single by Greg Folgia. Dayton had 13 hits including three by Frank Pfister. Ryan LaMarre hit a three-run homer for Dayton.

Today's Starting Pitcher: Clayton Shunick makes his fourth start with the Dragons tonight. Shunick started last Thursday against Lansing and suffered the loss (5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO). Shunick was the Reds fifth round draft pick in 2008 out of North Carolina State University, where he earned Collegiate Baseball 2nd Team All-American honors. Shunick pitched at Billings in 2008 after being drafted but missed all of 2009 after undergoing "Tommy John" reconstructive elbow surgery. He opened this season at extended spring training before an assignment to Billings at the start of the Pioneer League season. In seven starts with the Mustangs, he went 3-1 with a 4.00 ERA. In three straight starts in July, he worked at least six innings and allowed one run or less.

Individual Notes

* Henry Rodriguez is batting .326 since June 1 to raise his batting average from .260 to .297. He is hitting .327 in the second half to lead the team.

* Ryan LaMarre is batting .333 over his last 21 games.

* Chase Weems has hit in four straight games, batting .385.

* Justin Reed is 6 for 15, .400 in four games since joining the club.

* Frank Pfister is batting .400 with a home run over his last five games.

* Jacob Johnson over his last six starts: 2-0, 35.1 IP, 9 ER, 2.29 ERA (6 ER came in one start). Johnson since May 26: 6-2, 3.42 ERA.

* The Dragons roster includes two players who are ranked among the Reds top 30 prospects by Baseball America. They are shortstop Didi Gregorius (#15) and pitcher J.C. Sulbaran (#25) (Sulbaran is on the disabled list).

Team Notes

* The Dragons have held the lead in five straight games but have won only one of those five.

* The Dragons have scored seven or more runs in seven games since July 6 but have lost each game. In two of those games, Dayton scored 10 runs.

* The Dragons have held the lead in the eighth or ninth inning in seven of their 38 second half losses and were tied in the ninth inning in five other losses.

* Five times in the second half, the Dragons have held the lead with two outs in the final inning but lost the game.

* Dayton has led in 38 of their 77 losses.

* Dragons starting pitchers over the last 26 games: 2-15, 120.1 IP, 95 R, 84 ER, 6.28 ERA.

* The Dragons bullpen has notched 24 saves this season but suffered 23 blown saves. The 23 blown saves lead the league. Over the first 49 games of the second half, the Dragons bullpen has been charged with eight blown saves.

* Dayton is 10-14 on the road in the second half; 1-24 at home.

* During the Dragons last 24 home games (all losses), they have been tied or leading in the ninth inning six times. They have had five games in which the winning run was on base in the bottom of the ninth inning or later. In 12 of the 24 games, Dayton had the tying or winning run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth or later. Three of the games have gone to extra innings.

* Dayton is 10-41 this season in games when they have committed more errors than their opponent.

* The Dragons have played 15 extra inning games. They are 4-3 at home; 0-8 on the road. They are 0-6 in extra innings in the second half.

* The Dragons have seven "walk-off" wins this season, three more than they had in all of 2009.

Road Trip: 1-2 .278 Batting Average 5.20 Earned Run Average 11 Errors in 3 Games

Last Home Stand: 0-7 .251 Batting Average 6.18 Earned Run Average 13 Errors in 7 Games

Upcoming Probable Pitchers (All game times are Dayton time)

Thursday (7:05 p.m.): Dayton RH Blair Carson (3-5, 3.80) at Great Lakes LH Greg Wilborn (2-1, 4.02)

Friday (7:05 p.m.): Dayton RH Tim Crabbe (2-5, 4.28) at Great Lakes RH Josh Wall (7-6, 3.72)

Saturday (7:00 p.m.): Dayton RH Daniel Corcino (1-0, 1.64) vs. Lake County LH Giovanni Soto (9-6, 2.56)

Sunday (4:00 p.m.): Dayton RH Ricky Bowen (2-8, 6.61) vs. Lake County RH Trey Haley (5-8, 5.50)

Monday (7:00 p.m.): Dayton RH Jacob Johnson (6-6, 4.20) vs. Lake County RH Clayton Cook

Tuesday (7:00 p.m.): Dayton RH Clayton Shunick vs. Lake County RH Brett Brach

Check out the Dayton Dragons Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from August 18, 2010


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