MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons pull out comeback win over Kernels

June 29, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Cedar Rapids, IA - The Dayton Dragons (5-3, 40-38) might just be playing its best baseball of the 2006 season. The Dragons spotted the Cedar Rapids Kernels (3-5, 34-44) a 3-0 lead early and then came back to beat the Kernels 4-3 in front of 2,950 at Veteran's Memorial Stadium on Thursday night. The win gives the Dragons five straight after opening the second half of the season with three straight losses.

Cedar Rapids got on the board first in the bottom half of the third inning with three unearned runs off Dragons starter Robert Manuel (ND). With Madison Edwards at first and two down, Bradley Coon reached on an error by shortstop Adam Rosales. Flint Wipke gave the Kernels the lead with a two RBI gap triple to right center. Wipke's seventh three base hit of the season scored Edwards and Coon and the Kernels led 2-0. Hainley Statia followed with a single to left that scored Wipke for a 3-0 lead.

The Dragons chipped away at the lead and at Cedar Rapids starter Andy Hill (ND). Rosales led off the Dayton fourth with a double and came home on Jay Bruce's RBI single to left field to cut the lead to 3-1. The Miami Valley's Team tied the game at three with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. With one down, Chris Denove and Josh Holden picked up back-to-back doubles. Holden's two bagger knocked home Denove with Dayton's second run of the night. After Holden scooted to third on Mike Griffin's ground out, he came home on the game tying hit; a single to center by Rosales.

Manuel was gone after 5.0 innings for the Dragons and Hill soon followed, departing after 6.0 innings for the Kernels. With the game tied at 3-3 following both pitchers departures, neither earned a decision.

Dayton picked up the go ahead run in the top of the seventh inning as new Kernels Daniel Hawkins (LP, 0-1) entered the game and walked the lead off man Eric Eymann. Denove moved Eymann along with a sac bunt and the Dayton third baseman made third on an infield single by Holden. With one down and runners on the corners, Mike Griffin doubled into the left field corner scoring Eymann from third and moving Holden from one corner to the other. Griffin's 24th double of the season gave the Dragons their first lead of the game at 4-3.

The bullpen came through again for the Dragons pitching around a few Cedar Rapids base runners in the seventh, eight and ninth innings. The Kernels had one on in each the seventh and eighth but Logan Ondrusek (WP, 2-2) got out of a couple of jams. Bruce made an outstanding running basket catch on the track in deep right center to take away a potential game tying extra base hit from Edwards to end the frame. Justin Mallett (SV, 2) picked up his second save, working around a one out bunt single and a walk, tossing a game ending 4-6-3 double play grounder to save the game for Ondrusek.

The Dragons and Kernels continue the four game series Friday night at Veteran's Memorial Stadium with an 8:00 PM first pitch. RHP Daniel Guerrero (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his first start for Dayton, while Cedar Rapids counters with RHP Robert Mosebach (4-4, 3.21 ERA). 1410 ESPN Radio WING AM will carry the game live beginning with the Dragons pre game show at 7:30 PM. All Dragons games in 2006 can also be heard live on the internet at www.daytondragons.com.

Check out the Dayton Dragons Statistics



Midwest League Stories from June 29, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central