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MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Dragons survive rain delay, pick up fifth straight win

May 20, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, OH - The Dayton Dragons (17-22) and Peoria Chiefs (17-23) battled each other and the elements at Fifth Third Field on Thursday night in the first game of a four game series. With the game just 19 minutes old and Dayton leading 1-0 in the top of the second inning, inclement weather halted play for two hours and 43 minutes before the teams got started again at 10:13 PM. The Dragons broke the game open with six runs in the home half of the fifth inning and cruised to a fifth consecutive win with a 7-1 triumph over Peoria.

Both starting pitchers were done early on Thursday when rain halted play at 7:30 PM. Dayton starter Jon George (ND) got 1.2 innings of work, while Peoria starter Chris Shaver (LP, 1-4) only worked an inning before the weather put an early end to their evenings on the hill.

The Dragons picked up the games first run before the rains came off Shaver on an RBI ground out off the bat of Habelito Hernandez. Phil Gentry picked up his fourth lead off double of the season for Dayton and moved to third on a grounder to the right side of the infield from Paul Janish. With one down and Gentry 90 feet away, Hernandez picked up his first of three runs batted in on the night with a ground out to second base and the Dragons led 1-0.

Following the rain delay, Josh Thigpen (WP, 1-0) took the hill for the Dragons and blanked the Chiefs for 3.1 innings allowing two hits and a walk. The right hander struck out three before giving way to James Morrison (ND) to start the sixth. Morrison (ND) allowed the lone Peoria run in the seventh inning on back-to-back doubles by Alan Rick and Aaron Sisk. Sisk, playing in his first game with the Chiefs in 2005, picked up his first hit and run batted in.

With a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of five, Dayton broke the game open with six runs on five hits off a pair of Peoria pitchers. Alfredo Polanco (ND) put Cody Strait on with a lead off walk. After a steal of second base, Strait scored on Gentry's RBI single to left and Dayton led 2-0. Janish was hit by a Polanco pitch and both runners scored on Hernandez's two run triple to right for a 4-0 lead. Before departing, Polanco dealt a wild pitch scoring Hernandez for a 5-0 Dragons advantage. Jon Hunting (ND) took over for Peoria and allowed three hits; including an infield RBI to Craig Tatum and an RBI double to Drew Anderson. At the end of five, the Dayton lead stood at 7-0.

Morrison tossed 3.0 innings of three hit, one run relief with three strikeouts and one walk. Alexander Farfan (ND) tossed a perfect ninth inning to close out the Chiefs and secure the Dragons season high fifth consecutive win.

The Dragons and Chiefs continue the four-game series, Friday night at Field with a 7:05 First Pitch. RHP Brad Morenko gets the nod for the Dragons, with RHP Lee Gwaltney getting the start for Peoria. 1410-AM ESPN Radio carries the game live with the pre-game show beginning at 6:30 PM. Friday's game will be televised in the Miami Valley on Time Warner Television cable channel 25, with coverage beginning at 7:00 PM.

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