Bruce In Line Up Today.

[KittyDuran]

Dragons win 4-2
T. Wood gets the win.

Breaking a 6 game losing streak...

[FIRELEFT]

Breaking a 6 game losing streak...

[Doc. Scott]

I think it was seven, wasn't it?

[KittyDuran]

06/01/2006 12:34 PM -
Comstock Park, MI – The Dayton Dragons (26-28) snapped their season high six game losing streak by taking down the West Michigan Whitecaps (32-19) at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, Michigan. Dayton used strong pitching from Travis Wood (WP, 5-0) and the bullpen to secure the 4-2 victory in the final game of a 12 game road trip.

Dayton got to Whitecaps starter Burke Badenhop (LP, 5-2) early. Mike Griffin led off the game with a single off Badenhop’s glove, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Eric Eymann followed with a double to left, scoring Griffin and giving the Dragons an early 1-0.

West Michigan immediately answered off the left-hander Wood (WP, 5-0). Rafael Mendez drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first, and went to third on Matt Joyce’s single. After a strikeout of Mike Hernandez and a walk to Justin Justice, the bases were loaded for Dusty Ryan. Ryan responded with a single to center to tie the game at one. Wood settled down and struck out the final two hitters of the inning to get out of the bases loaded jam.

The teams traded home runs as each got on the board with solo shots. The Dragons retook the lead in the top of the second 2-1, on the first home run of the season by Gerardo Cabrera. The ‘Caps evened the count at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning on a solo job by Jeramy Laster off of the scoreboard in deep left center. His fourth HR of the season off Wood knotted the game up.

Wood was done after 5.0 innings of work but did manage to leave in a position to pick up the win as his teammates picked up a pair of runs in the top half of the sixth inning. Mike Griffin and Yoni Lasso were plunked by Badenhop pitches. Griffin moved to third on a fly out by Jay Bruce for the first out of the inning. After a B.J. Szymanski strikeout, Habelito Hernandez delivered a base hit to center scoring Griffin from third for a 3-2 lead. Laster’s throw from center to try and cut down Lasso, going first to third, ended up in the Dayton dugout. The E8 scored the second run of the inning and the lead was pushed to 4-2.

The Dragons used a trio of relievers to close out the victory. Jeff Stevens (ND) pitched two shutout innings, Russell Haltiwanger (ND) tossed one inning, and Damian Ursin (S, 1) pitched the 9th to close out the game for his first save of the season.

After 12 games on the road, the Dragons return home to open a brief four game home stand with the Beloit Snappers at Fifth Third Field. The first pitch on Friday evening is scheduled for 7:00 PM. The Dragons will start RHP Carlos Fisher (4-3, 2.96 ERA), while Beloit will counter with RHP Kyle Waldrop (3-2, 3.79 ERA). 1410 ESPN Radio WING AM will carry the game live beginning with the Dragons pre game show at 6:30 PM. All Dragons games in 2006 can also be heard live on the internet at www.daytondragons.com.

[Doc. Scott]

Oops. You're right.

[OnBaseMachine]

Bruce has really been slumping for the past three weeks.

[OnBaseMachine]

Travis Chick tonight: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K