MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Muller's Return Keys Dragons 7-6 Win

Published on May 21, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, Ohio-Kurtis Muller collected three hits including a home run in his 2012 return to Dayton and Ryan Kemp worked out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth inning as the Dragons held on to top the Great Lakes Loons 7-6. The win was the Dragons third in the last four games before a crowd of 8,116 at Fifth Third Field.

Muller played in 26 games for the Dragons in 2011 and started two of the club's three playoff games. He had spent most of this season in extended spring training in Goodyear, Arizona before being promoted to the Dragons on Sunday. He made an immediate impact upon his return.

The Dragons scored three runs in the first inning, the most they have in the opening inning of a game this season. Muller drilled a home run to left field with his first swing of 2012 with Dragons to get the scoring started. Joe Terry then singled to left, stole second, and scored on a two-out double by Ryan Wright to make it 2-0. Wright scored on Kyle Waldrop's single to right to give the Dragons a 3-0 lead.

Great Lakes' Joe Winker belted a two-run home run in the top of the third to make it 3-2, but the Dragons answered with a run in the bottom of the third. Muller singled, went to third on Steve Selsky's hit-and-run single to right, and scored on Waldrop's RBI ground out to third to make it 4-2. The Dragons scored again in the fourth when Muller singled to right to drive in Juan Perez from second to give the Dragons a 5-2 lead.

Great Lakes started back in the sixth when O'Koyea Dickson homered to left field to make it 5-3. In the seventh, they pulled to within one when Jesus Arredondo tripled with two outs and scored on James Baldwin's single to make it 5-4.

The Dragons scored two big insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. After back-to-back singles by Wright and Waldrop, Yovan Gonzalez delivered a sacrifice fly to make it 6-4, and after a single by Sean Buckley, Waldrop scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-4.

In the ninth inning, Great Lakes threatened to tie or take the lead. Dragons closer Kyle McMyne, who entered the game with a 1.16 earned run average after earning the save with a perfect ninth inning Sunday, was appearing on back-to-back days for the first time this season. McMyne walked the first two batters and then allowed singles to the next two as one run scored to make it 7-5. Kemp replaced McMyne with the bases loaded and no out one. Kemp got Winker to ground out to first as a run scored to make it 7-6. He then issued a walk to load the bases with one out. But Kemp induced pop out to Wright at second base from Scott Schebler for the important second out as the runners held, and Nick Akins grounded out to Buckley at first to end the game.

Dragons starting pitcher Stalin Gerson (2-3) worked the first six innings, allowing six hits and three runs with one walk and five strikeouts. Carlos Contreras followed Gerson to the mound and worked the seventh and eighth innings, allowing one run on two hits. Kemp was credited with his second save after recording all three outs in the ninth inning.

The Dragons collected 11 hits. Muller was 3 for 4 with the home run. Wright, Waldrop, and Buckley each had two hits.

The Dragons (17-28) do not play on Tuesday. They return to action Wednesday at Lansing at 7:05 p.m. in the start to a seven-game road trip that will also include four games at West Michigan. Jacob Johnson (0-0, 1.80) will start for Dayton on Wednesday against Lansing's Anthony DeSclafani (3-1, 2.61). The Dragons next home game is Wednesday, May 30 vs. South Bend.

Notes: Wright is batting .526 over a five-game hitting streak, going 10 for 19 with four doubles to raise his average to .301...Buckley is 4 for 6 with a homer and two doubles over his last two games...The Dragons had gone 20 straight games without scoring more than five runs until they scored six on Sunday and seven last night...Dayton was 3 for 10 (.300) with men in scoring position.

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Midwest League Stories from May 21, 2012


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