Hot Rods Top Dragons 3-1, Sweep Series
Bowling Green 3, Dragons 1
Go to this link for the box score
Bowling Green, Ky.-Bowling Green starting pitcher Hyrum Formo and two relievers combined to scatter seven hits as the Hot Rods defeated the Dayton Dragons 3-1 on Thursday night. The Dayton loss was their fifth straight and dropped their record to 6-9. Bowling Green improved to 8-7 as they completed a sweep of the three-game series.
The Dragons went 1-5 on their six-game road trip, winning the first game on Saturday in Lansing. Ironically, the Dragons enjoyed a five-run inning in the game on Saturday, their biggest inning of the season, but could plate only four runs over the remaining five games of the trip.
The Dragons broke an 18-inning scoreless drought in the fifth. Trailing 2-0, Narciso Crook singled to left field and went to second on an error. Ty Washington lined a double down the left field line to drive in Crook and make it 2-1.
Bowling Green added a single run in the bottom of the fifth and shut the Dragons down on two hits the rest of the night. In the ninth, Dayton's Aristides Aquino opened the inning with a base hit to left field to bring the tying run to the plate. But Aquino was immediately picked off first base for the first out of the inning, and the next two hitters were strikeout victims to end the game.
Dragons starting pitcher Tejay Antone (0-2) worked the first five innings, allowing six hits and three runs with one walk and two strikeouts. He was charged with the loss.
Jeremy Kivel followed Antone and worked a perfect sixth inning before running into problems in the seventh. Kivel allowed a lead-off single and then issued back-to-back walks before being replaced by Conor Krauss with no outs and the bases loaded. Krauss struck out the first batter he faced and then got an inning-ending double play to keep the Dragons within two runs through seven innings. Krauss pitched a perfect eighth inning to complete his outing.
The Dragons finished with seven hits. Jimmy Pickens went 2 for 3 with a double and single. Crook also had two hits, both singles.
The Dragons return home to Dayton to open a three-game series against the West Michigan Whitecaps on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Field. The series will continue Saturday at 7:00 and Sunday at 2:00. Southwest Ohio native Seth Varner (2-0, 2.54) will pitch for the Dragons against West Michigan's A.J. Ladwig (1-1, 3.48).
All Dragons games are broadcast on radio on Fox Sports 980 WONE and on the internet at wone.com. Games are also available on the Dayton Dragons mobile app.
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