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MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons Hold on For Big Win; Lead Stays at Three

August 15, 2008 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Midland, Mich.-Dayton Dragons relief pitcher Aguido Gonzalez notched back-to-back strikeouts to close out the bottom of the ninth inning with the tying run at third and the winning run at second as the Dragons held off the Great Lakes Loons 6-5 on Friday night. The win allowed the Dragons to maintain their three game lead on the Fort Wayne Wizards in the wildcard race with 16 games to play.

Devin Mesoraco went 4 for 5 to lead the Dragons. Jake Kahaulelio delivered the game's biggest hit, a two-out, two-run single in the seventh that put the Dragons in front.

Great Lakes wasted no time in the getting the lead. Their first three hitters delivered singles in the first inning and Brandon Taylor delivered a two-out single to drive in two runs and make it 2-0.

The Dragons got on the board with one run in the top of the second. Neftali Soto singled to left to start the inning and raced around to third on a single to right by Devin Mesoraco. Soto scored on Denis Phipps' fielder's choice to make it 2-1.

Great Lakes answered with two unearned runs against Dragons' starting pitcher Jeremy Horst in the second, taking advantage of an error by Horst on a mishandled bunt. The big hit in the inning was a run-scoring double by Parker Dalton that gave Great Lakes a 4-1 lead.

In the fifth, Mesoraco led off with a single to left and one batter later, Michael McKennon drilled a two-run home run to right to make it 4-3. It was McKennon's seventh home run of the season.

The Dragons picked up the lead in the seventh inning. Mesoraco and Phipps started the inning with a pair of singles. After the next two hitters were retired, Keltavious Jones was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kahaulelio then blooped a single to center field that brought in Mesoraca and Phipps to give Dayton a 5-4 lead.

In the eighth, the Dragons tacked on one more run. Brandon Waring walked to start the inning and Mesoraco singled to left, his fourth hit of the game. McKennon added an infield single with one out to load the bases, and Jones coaxed a walk to force in a run to make it 6-4.

Gonzalez entered the game to start the bottom of the ninth and allowed a lead-off single to Jessie Mier. Erik Kanaby walked, and Parker Dalton reached on Mesoraco's error to load the bases with no one out. Andrew Lambo grounded out to first to bring in Mier and make it 6-5 as the runners advanced to second and third. But Gonzalez struck out Eduardo Perez for the second out. He then hooked up in a long 11-pitch battle with Jaime Ortiz, who fouled off five pitches after getting to a two-strike count, before Gonzalez got Ortiz swinging on a 3-2 pitch to end the game.

Mace Thurman (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings of relief to earn the win, allowing two hits and striking out four.

The Dragons open a four game series at Fifth Third Field against Great Lakes on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Enerio Del Rosario (2-2, 1.47) will start for Dayton. The game will be televised on Time Warner Digital Cable Channel 99. Sunday's game will also be televised (7:05 p.m.).

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