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MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Kane County wins finale of four game series 11-10

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


Dragons overcome eight run deficit only to lose on two RBI double in bottom of the ninth.

Geneva, IL- With a four game sweep by the Peoria Chiefs in late July and three straight losses to the Kane County Cougars (23-22, 54-60), the Dayton Dragons (17-28, 47-68) were zero for Illinois, no wins in seven games, heading into the fourth and finale game of their series with the Cougars at Elfstrom Stadium. It's now zero and eight, as Kane County picked up a 11-10 win in the series finale, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth for a walk off win in front of 8,072.

Travis Buck was the hero for the Cougars with the game winning hit in the bottom half of the 11th inning on Monday night. He brought his cape to the field again on Tuesday, launching a Camilo Vazquez (ND) offering over the wall in deep right center for a grand slam home run and a 4-0 first inning lead for the home team. An Evan Conley error allowed leadoff hitter Cliff Pennington to reach first. A bloop single to center by Luis Perez moved Pennington to second base, before a walk to Tommy Everidge loaded the bases for Buck.

The Cougars exploded for another four run inning off Dragons pitching in the home half of the fourth inning. A one out walk to Myron Leslie and a wild pitch by Vazquez put the KC batter at second base. A single to left by David Castillo moved Leslie to third and it was two on, one out for Ryan Ruiz. Ruiz hit his second homer in as many games against the Dragons. The three run shot made it 7-0 Cougars. Vazquez was lifted with two out in the fourth and replaced by Ramon Ramirez (ND) who allowed three straight singles to open his night. The third, by Tommy Everidge, knocked in a run for an 8-0 lead. Vazquez allowed five hits, seven runs, six earned, with three strikeouts and two walks in 3.2 innings.

Dayton began the comeback in the top of the fifth inning off cougar Mike Rogers (ND). The right hander look like a certain winner with an 8-0 advantage. In the fifth inning, Rogers allowed the first two hitters to reach as John Purdom and Jordan Belcher picked up back-to-back singles to open the inning. Evan Conley followed with his first homer as a Dragon, a three run sky scraper to left field and Dayton was on the board at 8-3.

With two down back-to-back singles by Cody Strait and Adam Rosales put runners at second and third. Strait went first to third on Rosales' hit and he took second on the attempt to get the lead runner. Tonys Gutierrez picked up a two out two RBI double to left to get Dayton within three runs at 8-5.

Rogers was finished after the fifth inning allowing five earned runs on seven hits. The right hander struck out four and did not walk a hitter. Dayton would tie the game in the sixth inning picking up three runs off Shawn Martinez (ND). Belcher picked up a one out double to right center to move into scoring position. Conley followed with an RBI gap double to the same spot in right center and the lead was 8-6. Trevor Lawhorn knocked home Conley with an RBI triple to left center field and the lead was cut to one. Dayton tied the game at 8-8 on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Jorge Mejia. Mejia beat out the play for an RBI single and Lawhorn scored from third with the tying run.

Lawhorn put the Dragons out in front in the top of the eighth inning with a two run blast to left off Tomas Cabaniel (ND). Once again, the Dayton got things going with two outs in the inning. With Belcher at first base following a one out single, Conley bounced into a fielder's choice and was on first with two down. Lawhorn's shot gave the Dragons a short lived lead at 10-8.

Kane County came back with one in the eighth inning and two in the ninth off James Morrison (L, 0-5). A lead off single in the eighth inning by Ruiz got the Cougars a runner. Ruiz stole second and moved to third base when Purdom's throw sailed into center. Ruiz scored on an RBI ground out from Perez and the lead was cut to 10-9. In the ninth inning, a one out bloop double to left by Buck and a walk to pinch hitter Eddie Kim put the tying run at second and the winning run at first. Leslie was the next hitter and picked up the game winning runs batted in with a double down the line at first into the right field corner.

Following an off day on Wednesday, the Dragons open a four game series with the Clinton Lumber Kings Thursday night at Fifth Third Field. The opener of the four game series begins at 7:00 PM and will feature RHP Homer Bailey on the mound for Dayton and RHP Eric Hurley for Clinton. 1410 ESPN Radio WING AM will broadcast the game live beginning with the pre game show at 6:30 PM.

The game can also be heard on the internet at www.daytondragons.com and www.bcmonsters.com

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