Antone Pitches Dragons to Fifth Straight Win

June 17, 2015

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Dayton (R-H-E): 3-8-0

South Bend (R-H-E): 1-7-2

 

WP: Tejay Antone (4-6)

LP: Trevor Clifton (2-6)

Sv: Brian Hunter (7)

 

HR: Dayton: None

HR: South Bend: None

South Bend, Ind.-Dayton starting pitcher Tejay Antone tossed eight and two-thirds strong innings as the Dragons earned their fifth straight victory on Wednesday night, defeating the South Bend Cubs 3-1. The game featured a bench-clearing altercation that led to the ejections of six players.

Antone (4-6) came within one strike of the first nine-inning complete game by a Dragons pitcher since 2008. He scattered seven hits and walked only one while striking out two. He threw only 89 pitches before leaving the game with two outs in the ninth after allowing a double on a 3-2 pitch.

Dragons reliever Brian Hunter replaced Antone with two outs, a runner at second, and the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth, and got David Bote to ground out to second to end the game.

The win kept the Dragons two games out of the wildcard slot with four games to play in the first half race. The Dragons would earn a first half playoff berth if they win their final four games while Great Lakes goes no better than 1-3 and Bowling Green goes no better than 2-3 including their late game on Wednesday vs. Lansing.

A fight broke out in the top of the fourth inning just after Dayton's Shed Long scored from third on a sacrifice fly. Long and South Bend catcher Gioskar Amaya became involved in a physical confrontation, resulting in players from both dugouts and bullpens rushing the home plate area. The situation escalated beyond pushing and shoving, and punches were thrown. 

After order was restored, three players on each team were ejected. For Dayton, Long, Jose Ortiz, and Chadwick Tromp were removed from the game. For South Bend, Amaya along with starting pitcher Trevor Clifton and first baseman Cael Brockmeyer were thrown out.

The Dragons scored twice in the second inning when Jonathan Reynoso lined a two-out, two-run single to center field to start the scoring. They added another run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Ronald Bueno that brought in Long just before the fight.

South Bend scored their only run in the sixth inning. Antone worked a perfect seventh and allowed only a harmless single in the eighth. He walked the lead-off man in the ninth, his only walk of the night, but then induced a double play to clear the bases. He left the game after Yasiel Balaguert lined a double down the right field line with two outs.

Reynoso and Brian O'Grady each had two hits as part of an eight-hit Dragons attack.

The Dragons (36-30) battle South Bend (27-36) on Thursday night at 7:05 in the last game of the series and final road game of the first half. Seth Varner (6-4, 3.14) will start for the Dragons against South Bend's Jake Stinnett (2-2, 6.02). The Dragons a three-game series in Dayton against the Lake County Captains (Cleveland Indians affiliate) on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Field.

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.

Notes: The Dragons recorded their 36th win of the first half on Wednesday, tied for the third most in a first half in franchise history. They have four games to play...The Dragons are 7-1 this season vs. South Bend.