August 7, 2012

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Dayton (R-H-E): 5-7-1
Great Lakes (R-H-E): 6-9-3

WP: Juan Rodriguez (2-0)
LP: El'Hajj Muhammad (0-2)
Sv: None

HR: Dayton: Juan Silva (5th, 0 on base in ninth inning).
HR: Great Lakes: Pedro Guerrero (7th, 1 on base in seventh inning); Nick Akins (5th, 0 on base in 10th inning).

Midland, Mich.-Nick Akins drilled a two-out, game-winning home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Great Lakes Loons to a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over the Dayton Dragons. The win gave the Loons a split of the four-game series. The game was delayed by rain in the second inning for one hour, 38 minutes and ended just before midnight.

Dayton took a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth inning when Juan Silva drilled a lead-off home run to break a 4-4 tie. In the bottom of the ninth, Dayton closer Carlos Contreras retired the first two hitters before giving up a single to right field to Jeff Hunt to put the tying run at first. Pedro Guerrero then doubled to the left field wall to bring in the run and make it a 5-5 game. Both Hunt and Guerrero were down to their final strikes in their at-bats before delivering.

In the bottom of the 10th, El'Hajj Muhammad replaced Contreras and retired the first two batters before running the count on Akins to 0-2. Akins blasted the next pitch over the left field fence to end the game.

The Dragons trailed 1-0 following the rain delay but rallied with three runs in the third to take the lead. Jefry Sierra's run-scoring single tied the game at 1-1, and Joe Terry and Yorman Rodriguez each delivered RBI doubles to make it 3-1. The Dragons added another run in the fourth inning on a run-scoring single by Yovan Gonzalez to make it 4-1.

Great Lakes tied the game in the seventh. Guerrero drilled a two-run homer against Dragons reliever Mike Dennhardt to complete a three-run inning. The runs ended Dennhardt's 18-inning scoreless streak and were the first he had allowed since June.

Dragons starting pitcher Wes Mugarian worked the first one and one-third innings prior to the rain delay. He allowed one hit and one run with no walks and one strikeout. Carlos Gonzalez replaced Mugarian and worked three and two-thirds innings, allowing two hits and no runs with one walk and four strikeouts. Ryan Kemp pitched a perfect sixth inning. Dennhardt worked two innings, allowing three hits and three runs with two strikeouts. Contreras allowed the tying run in the ninth, suffering his fourth blown save of the season. Muhammad (0-2) was charged with the loss.

The Dragons picked up seven hits. Joe Terry was 3 for 4 with two doubles.

The Dragons (18-26) travel to Lansing, Michigan to begin a three-game series with the Lansing Lugnuts (25-19) on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. (Radio: WONE 980 AM). Stalin Gerson (6-7, 3.95) will start for the Dragons against Lansing's Jesse Hernandez (4-5, 2.47). The next home game is Saturday, August 11 at Fifth Third Field against the Fort Wayne TinCaps.