Loons Battle Back to Top Dragons, 9-7
July 25, 2012
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Dayton (R-H-E): 7-9-1
Great Lakes (R-H-E): 9-11-1
WP: Mike Thomas (4-2)
LP: Ryan Kemp (1-3)
Sv: Steven Rodriguez (2)
HR: Dayton: Kyle Waldrop (6th, 0 on base in second inning); Nick O'Shea (3rd, 0 on base in fifth inning); Sean Buckley (8th, 2 on base in fifth inning).
HR: Great Lakes: Darnell Sweeney (1st, 1 on base in third inning); Pedro Guerrero (6th, 1 on base in sixth inning).
Midland, Mich.-Jesse Bosnik's run-scoring single in the bottom of the eighth inning broke a 7-7 tie and the Great Lakes Loons went on to a 9-7 victory over the Dayton Dragons on Wednesday night. The loss dropped the Dragons to 11-20 in the second half.
The Dragons built a 7-4 lead going to the bottom of the sixth inning before Great Lakes rallied to tie the game and then take the lead in the eighth.
The two clubs combined to hit five home runs, including three by the Dragons as the game featured three lead changes.
Dayton scored an unearned run in the top of the first and then added another run in the second on Kyle Waldrop's sixth homer of the year to make it 2-0. Great Lakes scored three in the third, keyed by a two-run home run by Darnell Sweeney, to take a 3-2 lead.
The Dragons battled back with a four-run fifth inning. Nick O'Shea led off the inning with a home run to left field, his third of the season, to tie the game at 3-3. Juan Perez singled to right and Sammy Diaz walked. One batter later, Sean Buckley launched a long home run to left field, a three-run shot, to give Dayton a 6-3 lead. It was Buckley's team-leading eighth homer of the year.
The Loons scored one in the bottom of the fifth but the Dragons answered with one in the top of the sixth to again lead by three at 7-4.
Great Lakes took advantage of a Dayton error and a misjudged fly ball by center fielder Sammy Diaz in the bottom of the sixth to allow one run to score and bring the tying run to the plate. Diaz, normally an infielder, entered the game in center in the first inning when Jefry Sierra suffered a dislocated left shoulder. The Loons took advantage of the extra opportunities in the inning when Pedro Guerrero belted a two-run home run with two outs to tie the game at 7-7.
In the bottom of the eighth, Bosnik lined a single to left field with one out to bring in Scott Schebler from second and give Great Lakes an 8-7 lead. They added another run in the inning on Jesus Arredondo's two-out RBI single. The Dragons were retired in order in the ninth.
Dayton starting pitcher Jacob Johnson worked the first five and two-thirds innings. He allowed eight hits and seven runs (four earned) with no walks and six strikeouts. El'Hajj Muhammad replaced Johnson and worked one and one-third scoreless innings. Ryan Kemp (1-3) pitched the eighth, allowing three hits, one walk, and two runs to suffer the loss.
The Dragons finished with nine hits. Perez had two hits including a double.
The Dragons battle the Loons in the second game of the series on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. (WONE 980 AM). James Allen (6-3, 3.77) will start for the Dragons against Great Lakes' Duke von Schamann (2-0, 2.33).
Notes: Sierra's injury will be evaluated on Thursday. It is not expected to cause him to miss significant time but he could be placed on the seven day disabled list.