Dragons Stay Perfect on Road Trip, Win 9-3

Dragons 9, Wisconsin 3

Click here for the box score

Appleton, Wisc.-Joe Hudson and Jamodrick McGruder collected three hits apiece and Robert Ramirez belted a two-run home run to lead the Dayton Dragons to a 9-3 victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Saturday night. A sell-out crowd of 5,852 saw the game at Fox Cities Stadium.

The win kept the Dragons perfect through four games on their Western Division road trip after sweeping the Beloit Snappers in a three-game series. The Dragons have now won eight consecutive road game since their last road loss at Fort Wayne on June 25. The win also lifted the Dragons second half record to 14-14.

Dragons starting pitcher Nick Travieso (8-5) worked six strong innings to earn the win. He allowed five hits and two runs (one earned) with three walks and four strikeouts.

The Dragons jumped out to an early lead when Ramirez belted a two-run home run in the first inning. It was 3-2 Dragons going to the sixth when Dayton scored twice to extend their lead. Hudson's run-scoring triple was the key hit in the inning. The Dragons broke the game open with four runs in the seventh, sending 10 batters to the plate, to go ahead 9-2. McGruder and Hudson each RBI singles in the inning and Phillip Ervin drew a bases loaded walk.

Wisconsin scored one run in the bottom of the ninth and had the bases loaded with one out before Nolan Becker came out of the Dayton bullpen to notch back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.

The Dragons finished with 10 hits. Ervin had two hits including a triple along with the three hits for Hudson and McGruder. Ramirez is 8 for 16 (.500) in the four games he has played for the Dragons.

The Dragons (14-14) meet the Timber Rattlers (14-14) again on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. (EDT) in the second game of the series. Jackson Stephens (2-1, 3.98) will start for the Dragons against Wisconsin's Clint Terry (2-2, 3.25).

The next home game is Wednesday, July 23 vs. Quad Cities at Fifth Third Field.

All Dragons games can be heard on WONE Radio (980 AM) and via the internet at wone.com and through the Dragons Mobile App.

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