MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Ramirez, Blandino Lead Dragons to 5th Straight Win

Published on August 1, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, Ohio - Robert Ramirez drove in three runs with a home run, triple, and single and Alejandro Chacin earned his fourth save in five days as the Dayton Dragons defeated the South Bend Silver Hawks 8-6 on Friday night. The win was the fifth straight for the Dragons and came in front of a crowd of 8,314 at Fifth Third Field.

The Dragons took an 8-2 lead to the ninth inning before South Bend rallied for four runs to make it 8-6. Chacin entered the game with no one out and the tying run in the on-deck circle, but he was able to work through the inning without the Silver Hawks ever bringing the tying run to the plate. He struck out Midwest League home run leader Daniel Palko to end the game and earn his 15th save. Ten of Chacin's saves have come since July 1.

Dragons starting pitcher Amir Garrett (5-6) continued a string of outstanding performances, firing five scoreless innings to earn the win. He allowed just two hits and one walk with three strikeouts.

The Dragons jumped out to a quick lead in the first inning. Alex Blandino led off the inning with a line drive single to right field. One out later, Ramirez connected on a sinking line drive to center that skipped past South Bend's Chuck Taylor. Blandino scored and Ramirez went to third with a triple. Phillip Ervin followed with a sacrifice fly to right to bring in Ramirez and make it 2-0.

In the third, the Dragons added three more runs. Blandino doubled with one out and scored on an error. Ramirez then blasted a two-run home run to right field, his second homer of the year, to make it 5-0.

South Bend's Fidel Pena drilled a two-run home run to right field in the seventh to get the Silver Hawks on the scoreboard at 5-2. But the Dragons responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Blandino had his second double of the night to start the frame and scored on Ronald Bueno's single to center. Ramirez singled Bueno to third before Ervin's second sacrifice fly of the night brought in the second run of the inning, and Tanner Rahier's infield single drove in Ramirez to make it 8-2.

The Dragons collected 11 hits. Ramirez and Blandino each had three. Ervin drove in two.

The Dragons (20-20) host the Silver Hawks (23-17) in the second game of the series on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Field. Sal Romano (7-9, 3.71) will pitch for the Dragons against South Bend's Brent Jones (2-1, 1.84). The game will be televised on WHIO Digital Channel 7.2 (Time Warner Cable channels 23 and 372).

All Dragons games can be heard on WONE Radio (980 AM) and via the internet at wone.com and through the Dragons Mobile App.

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