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MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons pick up late inning win, 4-3

July 2, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Cedar Rapids, IA - The Dayton Dragons (6-5, 41-40) were hoping for a split in the four game series and an eight game split in the season series with the Cedar Rapids Kernels (5-6, 36-45) while the Kernels were looking to take the second half series three games to one and the season series five games to three with their third consecutive win. Cedar Rapids led for the majority of the game and took a 3-2 lead into the eighth inning before imploding, committing a pair of errors and giving the Dragons two runs without the benefit of a base hit. Dayton made the lead stand up and gained the series spilt with a 4-3 get away day win in front of 2,480 at Veteran's Memorial Stadium

The Kernels got on the board first for the third consecutive game picking up a single run in the bottom of the first inning off Dayton starter Carlos Fisher (ND). Brad Coon led off the inning with a single to center field but the speedster was thrown out trying to steal for the first out of the inning. Larry Infante followed the Coon hit with a one out single and the Kernels had another base runner against Fisher. Hainley Statia doubled over the head of B.J. Szymanski in right field scoring Infante from first base giving the Kernels a 1-0 lead.

Dallas Morris of Cedar Rapids and Bobby Mosby of the Dragons traded solo homers in the bottom of the third and the top of the fourth inning to put the score at 2-1 Kernels heading into the top of the sixth inning

Anthony Ortega (ND) made his Kernels and Midwest League debut and was able to pitch his way out of some early trouble before allowing the Mosby homer with one out in the fourth. The right hander made it through the fifth inning but ran out of gas with one out in the sixth. After a one out walk of Mosby and an infield single by Habelito Hernandez, the Kernels went to the bullpen for Tim Didjurgis (ND). After a fly ball for the second out of the inning and a walk of Mike DeJesus to load the bases, Didjurgis got some defensive help from Statia at shortstop who made a nifty play on a ball hit by Griffin to force DeJesus at second base to end the inning.

The teams traded runs again, this time in the seventh inning. In the top half of the frame, Adam Rosales launched the second Dayton solo homer of the afternoon over the wall in left field. Rosales' first with the Dragons in '06 off Didjurgis, temporarily tied the game at 2-2. The tie didn't last long as the Kernels re-took the lead on a two out infield single by Brad Coon. Logan Ondrusek (WP, 3-2) walked Madison Edwards to lead off the inning after taking over for Fisher. Edwards stole second base and moved to third on a grounder from Morris. Coon's chopper scored Edwards as the speedy centerfielder was ruled safe at first and Cedar Rapids led 3-2.

Ryan Aldridge (LP, 1-3), fourth in the Midwest League with 15 saves, came on to start the eighth inning to try and get the two inning save. Aldridge walked the lead off man Mosby and then Statia who had been solid all series at short, booted a Hernandez grounder and the Dragons had first and second with none down. With two on and one out, Mark Trumbo misplayed a DeJesus grounder which loaded the bases. With two out, Aldridge walked Rosales to force in Josh Holden, the pinch runner for Mosby, to tie the game at 3-3. The next batter was Jay Bruce, who Aldridge plunked with a pitch to force home the go ahead run to make it 4-3 Dragons.

Justin Mallett (SV, 3) was on top of his game on Sunday afternoon retiring all six Kernels hitters he faced to picked up his sixth save of the season and gives the Dragons the series and season split with the Kernels.

The Dragons open up a four game series at Kane County beginning Monday night. 1410 ESPN Radio WING AM will carry all the action from Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva, Illinois live beginning with the Dragons Pre Game Show at 6:30 PM; Monday night's first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM. RHP Zach Ward (6-0, 2.50 ERA) will make the start for Dayton, while the Cougars counter with LHP Joe Piekarz (3-2, 2.41 ERA). 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 July 2, 2006


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