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MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons knock around South Bend workhorse for third straight win, Weber impressive in rehab

July 21, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, OH - The Dayton Dragons (13-14, 43-54) combined one of their finer all-around pitching efforts of 2005 with timely hitting in the early stages, to produce a 4-3 win over the South Bend Silver Hawks (14-13, 55-42) before 8,668 at Fifth Third Field on Thursday night.

Philippe Valiquette (W, 2-5) headlined the Dragons efforts on the mound, picking up the victory with five impressive innings of work, along with holding a vaunted South Bend offense to only two runs on five hits, striking out five.

The Silver Hawks capitalized on two first inning walks from Valiquette, scoring the game's first run. Despite this, they could only muster a 1-0 lead through their first at-bat. Dragons fans watched their team quickly erase the deficit with four consecutive one out hits off of South Bend starter Kellen Raab (L, 3-4), including a two-run double from Jeremiah Piepkorn, which gave the Miami Valley's team a 3-1 lead through one full inning.

The game remained relatively quiet offensively during the middle innings, with both teams only able to plate one run apiece to add to their totals. Valiquette gave way to Ben Weber (ND) in the sixth - who was making a one-inning rehab appearance for the Dragons, on assignment from the Cincinnati Reds. Weber, who threw in his first professional game since May 8 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, cruised through the Silver Hawks sixth inning in perfect fashion with a strikeout, and kept a 4-2 Dayton lead in place.

Juan Frias (ND) followed Weber and allowed the visitors to climb within one run of the Dragons - as Wilkin Castillo hit a one-out triple to left field and came home on the ensuing Emilio Bonifacio groundout. The run in the seventh, and an eighth inning walk were the only blemishes on Frias' evening numbers. He faced just one batter over the minimum, holding the Dragons lead for Blake Hendley (SV, 13) going into the ninth inning.

After the rocky start from Raab, the South Bend bullpen settled down. Ryan Coffin (ND), Todd Stein (ND) and Esmerling Vasquez (ND) combined for 3.0 innings of one hit, shutout relief, along with six strikeouts.

The Dragons, who have now won three in a row, were paced offensively by Piepkorn's efforts with a 2-for-3 night, compiling a double, two runs scored, and two RBI's. The Dragons meat of the order, in B.J. Szymanski, Piepkorn, and Tonys Gutierrez, combined to pick up six of the nine Dragon hits in the game. Raab's loss for South Bend marked the first time the lefty was limited to less than six innings of work since June 5th, a string of seven consecutive starts.

The Dragons and Silver Hawks continue the four game series on Friday night at Fifth Third Field with a 7:00 P.M. first pitch. Dragons righty Ramon Ramirez will get the ball for Dayton, taking on Silver Hawks RHP Chris Kinsey. The game can be heard on radio at ESPN Radio 1410-AM and on the Internet at www.daytondragons.com, with the pre-game show beginning at 6:30 pm. Time Warner Cable will televise Thursday's game on channel 25 beginning at 7:00 P.M.

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Midwest League Stories from July 21, 2005


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