MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Satterwhite's Slam Not Enough as Dragons Fall in Extras, 5-4

Published on June 27, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Lansing, Mich. - Chris Hopkins drew a bases loaded walk with no one out in the bottom of the 11th inning to force in the winning run as the Lansing Lugnuts completed a three-game sweep of the Dayton Dragons on Sunday afternoon. Lansing withstood a ninth inning, two-out grand slam home run by Dayton's Cameron Satterwhite to tie the game. It was the second 11-inning game in the three-game series.

Dayton had a great chance to take the lead in the top of the 11th inning. Henry Rodriguez singled to start the inning, went to second on a wild pitch, and took third with no one out on Chris Richburg's infield hit. But Josh Garton popped out to left and after Satterwhite was walked intentionally, Tommy Nurre popped out to first. Frank Pfister grounded out to shortstop to end the inning as the Dragons left the bases loaded.

In the bottom of the 11th, the Dragons Mike Konstanty went to the mound for his career-high fifth inning of relief. Konstanty hit the lead-off batter, Kevin Nolan, to start the inning. Eric Eiland bunted the ball in front of the plate. Dragons catcher Chase Weems grabbed the bunt and looked to second before throwing to first. His hesitation cost him as Eiland beat the throw to first for an infield hit. The next pitch glanced off Weems' glove for a passed ball, moving Nolan to third. The Dragons walked the next hitter intentionally to load the bases with no one out, and Konstanty walked Hopkins on a 3-2 pitch to force in the winning run.

Lansing starting pitcher Ryan Shopshire was sensational over the first eight innings, tossing shutout baseball and allowing only four base runners. In the ninth, he hit Ryan LaMarre with one out, allowed a single to Henry Rodriguez, and hit Chris Richburg to load the bases. Shopshire struck out Garton for the second out and was within an out of a complete game shutout. But Satterwhite blasted his first pitch well beyond the left field fence for a grand slam homer to tie the game.

Lansing scored the winning run in the 11th when four straight hitters reached base despite the fact that only one ball was put in play, the attempted sacrifice bunt by Eiland.

Dragons starting pitcher Jacob Johnson went the first six innings, allowing five hits and three runs (two earned) with two walks and no strikeouts. Konstanty, who played first base for the Dragons in 2009 and was converted to pitcher last fall, followed Johnson and pitched well, allowing one run over his first four innings of relief before tiring in his fifth inning.

Dayton finished with nine hits. Rodriguez was 3 for 5. Richburg had two hits. Satterwhite's grand slam extended his hitting streak to 13 straight games, the longest current hitting streak in the league. Ryan LaMarre had one hit to extend his hitting streak to eight straight games.

The Dragons open a six-game homestand Monday night against the Fort Wayne TinCaps at Fifth Third Field. Justin Walker (1-8, 4.88) will start Monday for Dayton against Fort Wayne's Nick Greenwood (4-3, 3.96) in a battle of left-handers. Ricky Bowen (1-1, 5.48) will get the start on Tuesday against Jerry Sullivan (5-3, 3.72) while Tim Crabbe (1-0, 1.25) will start for the Dragons Wednesday and TinCaps left-hander Mike Watt (3-4, 3.52).

Notes: The start of the game was delayed by rain for one hour, 23 minutes.

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Midwest League Stories from June 27, 2010


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