MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons Gameday July 29th

Published on July 29, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


The Dayton Dragons (affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds) host the Peoria Chiefs (affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) in the second game of a three-game series. This is game two of a 10-game home stand for Dayton.

Season Series: Peoria 4, Dayton 0 (first three games in Peoria)

Dayton on the Current Home Stand: 0-1 (Team Batting Average: .273; Team ERA: 3.00).

Last Game: Peoria scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning against Dayton closer Aguido Gonzalez to come from behind and defeat the Dragons 4-3. Dayton's Byron Wiley hit a two-run home run and scored two runs to lead a nine-hit Dragons attack. Kevin Coddington went 3 for 3 for Dayton.

Today's Starting Pitcher: J.C. Sulbaran (pronounced SOOL-ber-wrong) makes his 14th professional start tonight for Dayton. His last start was last Thursday at Wisconsin and he did not receive a decision (4.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO). Sulbaran threw one scoreless inning in the All-Star Futures Game in St. Louis and earned the save. Sulbaran started the season in extended spring training in Sarasota due to a blister problem on his right (pitching) hand. Sulbaran has pitched in some big international games. He appeared in two games for Team Netherlands in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and started a game for the Netherlands in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing against Cuba. Sulbaran moved from the island of Curacao in the Caribbean to the Miami area with his family at age 16 to further baseball career. He was honored as the Miami-area pitcher of the year in 2008, going 11-0, 1.40. He fell to the 30th round of the 2008 draft due to his commitment to the University of Florida but the Reds eventually signed him with a $500,000 bonus, a record for that round. He was voted the best pitcher in the 2004 Latin American Youth Baseball Tournament while playing for the Netherlands Antilles. He was rated by Baseball America as the 20th best prospect in Reds organization prior to 2009 season.

Skipper: Todd Benzinger makes his professional baseball managerial debut in 2009. 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. He has enjoyed a highly-successful career coaching girls' high school basketball since 1999.

Individual Notes

- Miguel Rojas is batting .414 in his last 20 games (29 for 70) and is hitting .360 in the second half.

- Byron Wiley is batting .352 with 12 doubles, two triples, nine HR, and 38 RBI in his last 33 games since June 14, posting a slugging percentage of .697 and raising his batting average from .211 to .277. Wiley is batting .356 in the second half. Wiley also has a 10 game hitting streak.

- Carlos Mendez has hit in 11 straight games, going 18 for 47, .383.

- Kevin Coddington has hit in six straight games, going 11 for 25, .440. Coddington is batting .342 over his last 41 games.

Team Notes

- The Dragons are 7-3 over their last 10 games.

- The Dragons are 21-22 vs. Western Division teams with five games remaining against the West.

- Despite an overall record of 42-59, the Dragons are 33-34 over their last 67 games since starting the year at 9-25.

- After 31 of 70 games in the second half, the Dragons are one game behind Great Lakes and South Bend for the second (final) seed in the 2nd half playoff race.

- The Dragons are 11-15 in July with a team batting average of .275 and a team ERA of 4.90.

Team Batting Notes

- The Dragons are batting .280 in the second half (31 games) after batting .250 in the first half (70 games).

- During the Dragons 7-3 stretch, they are batting .294 as a team and averaging 5.3 runs per game.

Team Pitching Notes

- During the Dragons 7-3 stretch, the team ERA is 2.68. They have allowed four earned runs or less in every game.

- Over the last eight games, Dayton relievers have posted a 0.91 ERA, allowing three earned runs in 29.2 innings.

- Over the last 10 games, Dayton starting pitchers have posted a 3.21 ERA. They have not allowed more than three earned runs in any start.

- The Dragons second half team ERA is 4.49. The first half ERA was 4.50.

Check out the Dayton Dragons Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from July 29, 2009


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