MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons Score 4 in 8th, Win 4-2

July 13, 2013 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Davenport, Iowa-Jesse Winker's two-run single keyed a four-run eighth inning as the Dayton Dragons battled back from a late 2-0 deficit to defeat the Quad Cities River Bandits 4-3 on Saturday night. The win lifted the Dragons back above the .500 mark at 12-11. Quad Cities fell to 12-9.

The game featured a classic pitcher's duel between Quad Cities starter Jordan Jankowski and Dayton's Robert Stephenson. Neither team scored until Quad Cities' Luis Alvarez connected on a two-out, two-run home run in the seventh.

Stephenson was nearly perfect before the home run to the last batter he faced. Stephenson worked the six and two-thirds innings, allowing two unearned runs on only two hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. Stephenson had allowed just one hit prior to the home run.

Trailing 2-0 in the eighth, the Dragons sent 10 batters to the plate. They loaded the bases with two outs before Sammy Diaz walked on a 3-2 pitch to force in a run and make it 2-1. Winker followed with a hard ground ball into right field to bring in two more runs and give the Dragons the lead. Seth Mejias-Brean then lined a hit to single to center to bring in Diaz and make it 4-2.

In the bottom of the ninth, Quad Cities' Dan Gulbransen delivered a two-out, run-scoring single to make it 4-3. The next batter, former University of Dayton star Brian Blasik, had a dramatic at-bat. Blasik lifted a soft liner down the right field line that landed just foul. The ball would have easily scored the tying run if it had been fair. Then Blasik drilled a long drive to left field that landed just foul as it reached the base of the wall. Blasik then swung and missed to end the game.

Dragons reliever Alejandro Chacin (3-3) recorded the final out in relief of Stephenson in the seventh and was credited with the win. Kyle McMyne pitched the ninth for his third save.

The Dragons finished with eight hits. Beau Amaral had two. Winker has driven in 10 runs in the four games on the road trip. Tanner Rahier was 0 for 3 with a hit batsman as his 11 game hitting streak came to an end. Rahier's streak tied Junior Arias for the Dragons longest of 2013.

The Dragons battle the River Bandits on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. (EDT) in the second game of the series. Jackson Stephens (0-3, 4.00) will start for Dayton against Quad Cities' Mark Appel, the first overall selection of the 2013 draft by Houston. Appel will be making his Midwest League debut after throwing five innings for the Astros' affiliate in the New York/Penn League. The Dragons next home game is Wednesday, July 17 against the Beloit Snappers. All Dragons games can be heard on WONE Radio (980 AM) and via the internet at daytondragons.com and wone.com.

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Midwest League Stories from July 13, 2013


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