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MWL1 Dayton Dragons

West Michigan breaks out the brooms with 6-5 win

July 23, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Comstock Park, MI - In dropping the first three games of the four game weekend series against the playoff bound West Michigan Whitecaps (23-7, 64-33) at Fifth Third Ballpark, the Dayton Dragons (13-16, 48-51) were shown just how good the Midwest League's best overall record can be. The Dragons sent Rafael Gonzalez (LP, 0-2) to the hill on Sunday afternoon to try and salvage the final game of the series against ‘Caps right hander Josh Rainwater (WP, 5-3). The Whitecaps completed the four game sweep knocking off the Dragons in the finale of the series by a 6-5 count Sunday afternoon.

The Dragons jumped out in front for the second consecutive game picking up a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Mike DeJesus led off the game with a single to center and scored all the way from first on Mike Griffin's RBI triple to right center. After Adam Rosales and B.J. Szymanski struck out, ‘Caps shortstop Mike Holliman kicked a Craig Tatum grounder scoring Griffin and the lead was 2-0.

West Michigan helped out the Dragons once again in the second with a pair of errors that lead to two more runs. With one down, Josh Holden reached on an error by first baseman Pedro Cotto, a DeJesus single moved Holden to second. Adam Rosales, playing his first game in the series knocked in Holden with a single to left for a 3-0 lead. DeJesus was able to scamper home when ‘Caps left fielder Jeramy Laster overran the ball for the second error of the inning. The second unearned run of the frame gave the Dragons a 4-0 lead.

For the second straight game, the lead did not last long. Gonzalez, who gave up three home runs in his second inning of work in his previous start against eh Clinton Lumber Kings, was at it again as the Whitecaps touched him up for a pair of homers good for four runs. Laster who allowed the fourth Dragons run to score in the top half of the inning on a fielding error atoned for his error with a three run homer to left to cut the Dayton lead to 4-3. The ‘Caps went back to back with the long ball as Cory Middleton followed with a solo shot to left to tie the game at 4-4.

West Michigan grabbed a lead for the first time in the game with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fifth off Gonzalez. Cotto led off the inning with a double and scored on the one out double to right center by Matt Joyce that snapped the 4-4 tie. Joyce would move to third on a wild pitch and would score on a Mike Hernandez RBI single giving West Michigan a 6-4 lead.

Rainwater settled down after the second run scoring inning for the Dragons, retiring 10 in a row at one point after allowing the RBI single in the second to Rosales. Rainwater lasted 6.0 innings scattering six hits and striking out seven Dragons on the afternoon. Out of the four runs given up by the right hander, only one was earned.

Russell Haltiwanger (ND) tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief and Jose Rojas (ND) added 1.2 scoreless innings of his own to close out the afternoon for the Dragons.

Josh Kauten (ND) pitched in the seventh and Ricky Steik (ND) threw the eighth before handing the lead to Orlando Perdomo (SV, 21) in the ninth. Perdomo allowed a pair of hits and walk, including an RBI single by Griffin to get the Dragons to within a run at 6-5

The Dragons open up a four game series with the Lansing Lugnuts beginning Monday night at Fifth Third Field. The four game series in Dayton is the only meeting between the Lugnuts and Dragons in the second half of the season. 1410 ESPN Radio WING AM will carry all the action live beginning with the Dragons Pre Game Show at 6:30 PM. Monday's first pitch is slated for 7:00 PM. LHP Travis Wood (7-2, 4.12 ERA) will make the start for Dayton, while the Lugnuts open the series with A.J. Wideman (1-2, 3.48 ERA). All Dragons games in 2006 can also be heard live on the internet at www.daytondragons.com.

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