July 14, 2012

Click Here to see the Box Score

Dayton (R-H-E): 7-11-0
Burlington (R-H-E): 6-11-1

WP: Carlos Gonzalez (1-3)
LP: Drew Tyson (2-1)
Sv: Carlos Contreras (10)

HR: Dayton: None
HR: Burlington: None

Burlington, Iowa-The Dayton Dragons battled back from three different two-run deficits before Yorman Rodriguez drove in the tie-breaking run with a two-out single in the sixth inning as the Dragons edged the Burlington Bees 7-6 on Saturday night. The Dragons have split the first four games of their six-game road trip.

Trailing 5-3 in the sixth, the Dragons scored three runs to pick up the lead. The inning began with three consecutive singles by Kyle Waldrop, Yovan Gonzalez, and Juan Silva, to load the bases with no one out. Jefry Sierra hit into a double play as Waldrop scored to make it 5-4 with Gonzalez going to third. Junior Arias then hit a chopper over the mound and beat the throw to first as Gonzalez scored to tie the game. After Juan Perez walked, Rodriguez singled sharply up the middle to bring in Arias and give the Dragons a 6-5 lead.

In the top of the eighth, Perez walked with one out, stole second, and scored when Rodriguez blasted a double to the fence in left-center field to make it 7-5.

Burlington batted back in the bottom half of the inning, getting a two-out RBI triple from Aaron Shipman to make it 7-6. But Carlos Contreras got Sean Jamieson to pop out to shortstop to strand the tying run at third. Contreras pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his 10th save.

Dayton starting pitcher James Allen worked four and one-third innings and allowed eight hits and five runs while walking one and striking out four. Carlos Gonzalez (1-3) replaced Allen in the fifth and pitched extremely well, going two and two-thirds innings of scoreless baseball to earn the win. He allowed just one hit and no walks with two strikeouts. Contreras worked the final two innings, allowing two hits and one run with two strikeouts to record the save.

The Dragons collected 11 hits including two apiece for Rodriguez, Waldrop, Gonzalez, Silva, and Ryan Wright.

The Dragons (9-13) play at Burlington against the Bees (11-11) on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. (EDT) in the second game of a three-game series. Wes Mugarian (0-1, 5.87) will start for the Dragons against Burlington's Drew Granier (10-5, 3.37). The next home game is Wednesday when the Dragons host Clinton at Fifth Third Field.