MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Last Rally Standing to Dragons in 4-3 Win

Published on July 5, 2005 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, OH - The Dayton Dragons (37-46, 7-6) had a commanding lead last night and lost. Tuesday, there would be no such collapse. The Dragons overcame two sweat-inducing late game rallies by the Lansing Lugnuts (43-39, 6-7) and parlayed one of their own in the bottom of the ninth for the winning run, when Phil Gentry smacked an RBI single off Juan Perez (L, 6-4) to power the Dragons to a thrilling 4-3 win over Lansing, before a sellout crowd of 7,927 at Fifth Third Field on Tuesday night.

Gentry's single came with one out in the ninth, on the back-end of three consecutive Dragons singles. Gentry's game-winning tally scored John Purdom from second, who barely slid underneath Lansing catcher Curtis Thigpen's tag, igniting the Dragons out of the dugout and Thigpen's temper, but Thigpen's argument was all for naught.

The Dragon rally was staged by two consecutive rallies snuffed by Dragon closer Blake Hendley (W, 7-0), who blew a potential save in the eighth but came into the game with the bases loaded. Hendley walked Charlie Anderson, his first hitter faced, to force in the tying run at 3-3 with one out. Hendley then induced Christian Snavely and Ryan Klosterman into back-to-back popouts, escaping further damage.

Lansing threatened again in the ninth. After Eugenio Velez's one-out double, Jason Armstrong nearly cashed in Velez on a single to center, with only the rocket-throw from outfielder B.J. Szymanski keeping Velez at third. Hendley then escaped the jam with an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play, with Jeremiah Piepkorn scooping second baseman Trevor Lawhorn's relay throw out of the dirt.

The Lugnuts got on the board first with runs in the fourth and fifth inning, capitalizing off Dragon defensive miscues. Ryan Klosterman's seemingly harmless single to center was magnified when Szymanski slipped trying to field the ball, allowing Anderson to score all the way from first on the error. Eric Nielsen then cashed in Jason Armstrong an inning later on a wild throw to first by Lawhorn, enabling Armstrong to score from second.

Szymanski, allowing the Dragons to blink first in originally a thrilling pitching duel, made up for his miscue in the bottom of the 6th with a monster three-run homer off starter A.J. Wideman (ND), putting the Dragons ahead 3-2, after Wideman had tossed scoreless baseball through 5.1 innings on only two hits and nine strikeouts.

Lost in the fray was Dragon starter Ramon Ramirez's (ND) solid five-inning outing despite earning a no-decision, yielding two unearned runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Purdom collected the most efficient night at the plate for the Dragons, going 2-for-4 with two singles and the aforementioned winning run scored.

Both teams meet again at Fifth Third Field Wednesday night for game three of the four-game series at 7pm, with Dragons southpaw Philippe Valiquette taking on Lansing righty Po-Hsuan Keng. 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 6:30 pm.

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Midwest League Stories from July 5, 2005


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