Lugnuts drop another one-run affair
July 5, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
DAYTON - Phil Gentry's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth scored John Purdom with the game-winning run as the Dayton Dragons(37-46, 7-6) sent the Lugnuts(43-39, 6-7) to their 20th one-run loss of the season and seventh of the second half with a 4-3 win over Lansing on Tuesday night in Dayton.
Purdom reached on a one-out single in the ninth off Juan Perez(6-4) and then advanced to second on a single by Bradley Key. Gentry, who came in the game in the seventh after Bobby Mosby was hit in the back on a throw by David Hicks on an attempted force out, the followed with a single to center to score Purdom, just ahead of the throw by Aaron Mathews from center and just ahead of the tag by Curtis Thigpen, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
A.J. Wideman and Ramon Ramirez worked a pitchers duel into the fourth when the Lugnuts struck for the game's first run. Charlie Anderson drew a one-out walk from Ramirez and would score when Ryan Klosterman's single to center squibbed by B.J. Szymanski in center and rolled to the wall. The single and two-base error gave the Lugnuts a 1-0 lead.
The lead extended to 2-0 in the fifth when Jason Armstrong singled with one out, went to second on a wild pitch and scored when Eric Nielsen reached on a two-out single and a throwing error by Dragons second baseman Trevor Lawhorn.
Wideman was cruising through the first five innings, allowing just two hits and striking out eight hitters, but lost the lead in the sixth after one swing of the bat by Szymanski.
Lawhorn was hit by a pitch to start the sixth and after Wideman fanned Drew Anderson, Cody Strait reached on a fielders choice on a hard chopper to the mound, a play that sent Lawhorn to second. Szymanski followed with his sixth homer of the year and second of the series. Wideman finished off the frame without allowing anything else and finished his night by working six innings, allowing three hits and striking out a season high nine in earning a no-decision.
Lansing rallied to knot the score in the eighth off Carlos Bohorquez and Blake Hendley. With one out, Thigpen doubled to right and went to third on a single by Nielsen. David Hicks then drew a walk to load the bases, chasing Bohorquez. Hendley took over on the mound and walked Anderson to plate Thigpen and even the score 3-3. However, Hendley induced a pop out on the infield by Christian Snavely and got Ryan Klosterman to pop outb to third to end the threat.
Lansing threatened in the ninth to break the tie, but Thigpen hit into an inning-ending double play and stranded Eugenio Velez in scoring position. Dayton then took the game with the winning rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, the third time in fifth games the Lugnuts have lost a game on the road trip in which the home team has scored the game winning run in the last of the ninth.
The Lugnuts look to get back on the winning track tomorrow night in Dayton at 7:00 p.m. as Po-Hsuan Keng gets the spot start for Lansing against Dayton's Philippe Valiquette.
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