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MWL1 Dayton Dragons

Silver Hawks Come Back Stuns Dragons

May 27, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


South Bend, IN - In the midst of the longest road trip of the 2006 season, 12 games and 13 days, the Dayton Dragons (25-24) bats hit a dry spell, as the Miami Valley's team was hitting .193 in its last five games. Fortunately, the Dragons pitchers helped to pick up the slack as the team ERA has continued to drop during the same stretch to a season low 3.88 entering play on Saturday night. The Dragons bats overcame an early deficit against the South Bend Silver Hawks (22-25) to take a 2-1 lead into the late innings. The Hawks came back and pulled out a 4-2 win with three in the bottom of the eighth.

South Bend got on the board in the bottom half of the second inning picking up an unearned run against Dayton starter Travis Wood (ND). Orlando Mercado picked up a one out double into the left field corner to put the Hawks catcher in scoring position. Wood issued his only walk of the night with two down, a free pass to Steve Mena putting runners at first and second. What looked like a ground ball to end the inning turned into the first run of the night as Dragons second baseman Mike DeJesus misplayed the grounder by Manny Ferrer. The E4 scored Mercado from second and South Bend led 1-0.

The Dragons evened the score at 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning on a Habelito Hernandez solo homer to left. Mike Griffin led off the inning with a single but was thrown out trying to stretch the single into two by left fielder Greg Thomson. Hernandez followed with his second HR of the series and season off Silver Hawk starter Kyle Wright (ND). Craig Tatum extended the sixth with a two out infield single to short, which ended the night for Wright. The Hawks went to the pen and brought in Ryan Doherty (WP, 4-0). During the at bat to DeJesus, Tatum was off and running swiping second base to get into scoring position. DeJesus picked up a bloop single to right that scored Tatum and gave the Dragons a 2-1 lead.

Wood was finished after allowing just one run in five innings of work, and was relieved by the newest Dayton Dragon in right-hander Robert Manuel (ND). Manuel pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning to start his Dragons career, getting three consecutive ground ball outs. On the night, Manuel would go 2.2 innings, allowing two hits with one strikeout, and allowing one run.

Manuel departed with a runner on second with two outs in the eighth, giving way to Dragons closer Blake Hendley (LP, 1-1). Hendley immediately hit Justin Upton with a pitch, and then walked Will Crouch to load the bases. Trey Hendricks followed with a double to right-center field that cleared the bases and gave the Silver Hawks the 4-2 lead. The loss marks the first defeat in 50 games over two seasons with the Dragons for Hendley.

Kyler Newby (S, 1) retired the Dragons in order in the ninth to preserve the victory for South Bend in game three of the four game series.

The Dragons wrap up the four game series at Coveleski Stadium with the Silver Hawks on Sunday afternoon with a 1:30 PM first pitch. RHP Carlos Fisher (4-3, 2.72 ERA) gets the start for the Dragons, while South Bend will counter with RHP Anthony Cupps (3-3, 6.32 ERA). 1410 ESPN Radio WING AM will carry the game live beginning with the Dragons pre game show at 1:00 PM. All Dragons games in 2006 can also be heard live on the internet at www.daytondragons.com.

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Midwest League Stories from May 27, 2006


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