MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons score on wild play to cap-off two-run, ninth inning comeback

July 9, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, OH - In one of the most unusual ways to end a ballgame, Dayton Dragons (39-48, 9-8) outfielder B.J. Szymanski scored from third on a wild pitch from an intentional walk to Tonys Gutierrez, capping a two-run ninth inning comeback as the Dragons took a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays (41-45, 8-9), in front of 8,869 at Fifth Third Field on Saturday night.

The Dragons, who can lock up the series victory with a win Sunday against Southwest Michigan, looked to be at a dead end after surrendering a gut-wrenching ninth inning run that broke a 3-3 tie. Moments after Dragons pitcher Ramon Ramirez (ND) failed to draw a called strike three on a pitch off the corner on Devil Rays shortstop Reid Brignac, Ramirez surrendered three consecutive singles to Brignac, Chris Nowak, and John Jaso to lift Southwest Michigan into the 4-3 cushion.

Devil Rays closer Jose De La Cruz (L, 3-5) was then summoned to the mound to slam the door on the Dragons. Phil Gentry stuck the proverbial foot-in-door, drawing a leadoff walk. After Trevor Lawhorn failed to advance Gentry on a bunted strikeout, B.J. Szymanski rocketed a double down the right field line, putting the tying run 90 feet away, and the winning run at second base. The infield alignment closed in on Dragons slugger Jeremiah Piepkorn but coughed up the tying run when Piepkorn's dribbler to first bounced off a backhanded attempt by Nowok, allowing Gentry to score.

That set up Gutierrez, who had torn apart Southwest Michigan pitching all night. The Devil Rays elected to take the bat out of his hands with the intentional walk. It didn't matter. DeLaCruz's first pitch sailed high and wide of catcher Heath Anderson, scoring Szymanski from third and sending the ballpark into frenzy.

The Dragons and Devil Rays began the game with a back-and-forth frenzy, uncharacteristically enough with their best pitcher on the mound in Homer Bailey (ND). Southwest Michigan got on the board first though, on an RBI sacrifice fly in the first inning, off the bat of Nowak. The Dragons knotted the game when Gutierrez slammed his third homer of the year in the second. The Devil Rays struck back in the second on two Dragons errors, when Shaun Cumberland scored from third on a fielding error by third baseman Bradley Key.

Dayton came back with a 3-2 lead in the third, capped off by John Purdom's RBI single. Southwest Michigan answered in the fourth on a monster homer to left by third baseman Travis Schlichting. Bailey exited after four innings, where the bullpen stopped the bleeding as Brad Cherry (ND) and Ramirez combined for 5.2 innings of scoreless relief.

Zac Stott (W, 2-2) picked up a relatively easy win, forcing Patrick Cottrell into a force play to end the top of the ninth. Gutierrez led the Dragons offensively with a 3-for-4 n ight, including a homer, RBI and two runs.

Both teams will battle again at Fifth Third Field on Sunday afternoon in game three of the series, with righty Jon George facing righthanded Devil Rays ace Andrew Sonnanstine at 2pm. The game can be heard on radio at ESPN Radio 1410-AM and on the internet at www.daytondragons.com, with the pre-game show beginning at 1:30 pm.

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