MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons Lose 3-Run Lead, Fall 6-4 in Bowling Green

Published on August 10, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Bowling Green, Ky.-The Bowling Green Hot Rods battled back from a 4-1 deficit with four runs in the seventh inning to defeat the Dayton Dragons 6-4 on Sunday afternoon. The two clubs split the four-game series.

Bowling Green took advantage of three walks in the seventh, one coming with the bases loaded, before Alexander Simon delivered a two-out, two-run single to bring in the tying and go-ahead runs and give the Hot Rods a 5-4 lead. In the eighth, Bowling Green took advantage of two more walks before a run-scoring single by Elias Torres made it 6-4. Over the last two innings, Dragons pitchers walked five batters, four of which eventually crossed the plate.

Trailing 6-4 in the ninth, the Dragons had a chance after Alex Blandino reached on a two-base error to bring the tying run to the plate with no one out. Blandino went to third on a wild pitch before Phillip Ervin flied to shallow center for the first out. Robert Ramirez then flied out to right. Blandino tagged on the play and tried to score but was thrown out at the plate to end the game.

The Dragons scored three runs in the top of the first inning to jump out to a quick lead. Ronald Bueno walked with one out and Blandino was hit by a pitch. Ervin then hit a hard ground ball down the left field line that scored both Bueno and Blandino. Ervin eventually scored from third on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.

Bowling Green scored in the fifth when Elias Torres doubled to left, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on Spencer Edwards' single to center. The Dragons got that run back in the seventh when Blandino doubled to right and scored on a base hit by Ramirez to make it 4-1, setting the stage for Bowling Green's comeback rally.

Dragons starting pitcher Jackson Stephens worked the first six innings, allowing four hits and one run with three walks and seven strikeouts. He was not involved in the decision. Tony Amezcua faced four batters in relief of Stephens and left the game with the bases loaded and one out, allowing two walks and a hit. Joel Bender (6-3) issued a bases-loaded walk, got a ground out that allowed the second run of the inning to score, and then surrendered the two-run single to Simon that gave Bowling Green the lead. Bender gave up the insurance run in the eighth, giving up two walks and a hit in the inning.

The Dragons collected 11 hits in the game. Ervin, Jon Matthews, Jose Ortiz, and Nick Benedetto each had two. Both Bueno and Blandino extended hitting streaks to six straight games.

The Dragons (24-25) do not play on Monday. They will open a three-game series in Eastlake, Ohio against the Lake County Captains (24-24) on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. Nick Howard (1-0, 2.70) will make his first professional start for the Dragons against Lake County's Mitch Brown (5-8, 3.72). The Dragons next home game is Friday, August 15 when they host Bowling Green at Fifth Third Field.

With Sunday's loss, the Dragons fell out of the lead for the number one seed in the Eastern Division second half playoff race. They dropped into a tie with Great Lakes for the wildcard position (#2 seed), one-half game behind Lake County.

All Dragons games can be heard on WONE Radio (980 AM) and via the internet at wone.com and through the Dragons Mobile App.

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Midwest League Stories from August 10, 2014


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