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MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons Lose Heartbreaker 5-4

May 23, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Battle Creek, MI - The Dayton Dragons (24-22) looked to improve upon the Midwest League's best road record with a win in the finale of a four game series with the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays (24-21) at C.O. Brown Stadium Wednesday night. A win for the Dragons would give the Miami Valley's Team three out of four in the series, while the Rays were looking for a four game split. The Dragons got a great starting outing from Zack Ward (ND) but the Dayton bullpen surrendered 3-0 and 4-2 leads in the eighth and ninth as the Rays pulled out a 5-4 win.

Dayton had an early opportunity against Rays starter Jeff Kamrath (LP, 0-3) in the top half of the second inning with B.J. Szymanski at third base and one down in the inning. The Dragons right fielder led the inning off with a walk, stole second and moved to third on a ground out by Habelito Hernandez. Eric Eymann and Craig Tatum both struck out with Szymanski 90 feet away and the Devil Rays held.

Kamrath wasn't as fortunate in the third inning as he walked the lead off man for the second consecutive inning, this time J.D. Reininger. A potential double play ball hit by Josh Holden went under the glove of Rays shortstop Neil Walton allowing Holden to reach base and Reininger to move to third. With runners on the corners, Mike Griffin singled to left scoring Reininger and giving Dayton a 1-0 lead.

Zach Ward (WP, 4-0) pitched around a lead off single in the third inning to keep the Rays off the board early. SWM threatened again in the bottom of the fourth inning after J.T. Hall was hit by a pitch and Rhyne Hughes singled to open the inning, giving the Rays first and second with none down in the inning. After a ground out advanced the runners to second and third, Ward fanned both Walton and Chris Cunningham to end the threat and the inning.

The Dragons added another pair of runs in the top half of the sixth inning to push the lead to 3-0. Jay Bruce led the inning off with an infield single and moved all the way to third on a Kamrath wild pitch. After a Szymanski walk put runners on the corners with none down, Habelito Hernandez knocked in Bruce with a fielder's choice grounder for a 2-0 lead. After a pitching change that brought in Drew Bigda (ND), the Dragons added another run. Craig Tatum single Hernandez to third before Bigda's ninth wild pitch of the year brought the third run of the game home for Dayton.

Ward made the 3-0 lead stand up as he was masterful through 7.0 innings, striking out nine and walking one and hitting two batters. The Rays picked up just three hits off of the Dragons starter. SWM Manager Skeeter Barnes drew the ire of the Dayton bench when he appeared to protest the entry into the game of Damian Ursin. Ursin listed as number 19 on the Dragons roster was wearing number 37 as he entered the game. Ursin was not allowed to pitch and was replaced by Bo Lanier who surrendered two runs in the bottom of the eighth to tighten the game up at 3-2.

Dayton added an insurance run in the top of the ninth off Greg Dupas (ND) to make it 4-2, as Josh Holden who walked and went first to third on a Griffin single, scored on a wild pitch. The Rays picked up a pair of runs in the ninth inning charged to Russell Haltiwanger (ND) who walked two of the first three hitters he faced in the ninth inning. Haltiwanger was lifted in favor of Kyle Huddy (LP, 0-1) who gave up a two RBI double to Hall that tied the game and an RBI single to Neil Walton, who was 0-12 in the series heading into the at bat, scoring Hall with the winning run.

Following an off day Wednesday, the Dragons open a four game series at Coveleski Stadium in South Bend, Indiana against the South Bend Silver Hawks. RHP Johnny Cueto (4-1, 2.93 ERA) gets the start for the Dragons in the series opener, while South Bend will counter with RHP Cody Evans (1-5, 4.07 ERA). 1410 ESPN Radio WING AM will carry the game live beginning with the Dragons pre game show at 6:00 PM. All Dragons games in 2006 can also be heard live on the internet at www.daytondragons.com.

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Midwest League Stories from May 23, 2006


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