Dragons Press Box Notes for Sept. 7

( Nick Falzerano)

By Tom Nichols

September 7, 2017

Dragons GameDayThursday, Sept. 7, 2017 l Game 2, East Division PlayoffsFifth Third Ballpark l Comstock Park, Mich. l 7:00 p.m.Radio: Fox Sports 980 WONEDayton Dragons (30-40, 71-69) at West Michigan Whitecaps (46-23, 91-45)LH Scott Moss (13-6, 3.45) vs. RH Alfred Gutierrez (10-7, 3.06)Click here for the complete Press Box Notes

Dragons GameDay
Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 l Game 2, East Division Playoffs
Fifth Third Ballpark l Comstock Park, Mich. l 7:00 p.m.
Radio: Fox Sports 980 WONE
Dayton Dragons (30-40, 71-69) at West Michigan Whitecaps (46-23, 91-45)
LH Scott Moss (13-6, 3.45) vs. RH Alfred Gutierrez (10-7, 3.06)
Click here for the complete Press Box Notes packet.
Today's Game: The Dayton Dragons (affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds) meet the West Michigan Whitecaps (affiliate of the Detroit Tigers) in game two of the Midwest League Eastern Division first round playoffs. The Whitecaps lead the series, one game to none. This is a best-of-three series.

Regular Season Series: Dayton 11, West Michigan 8 (in Dayton: Dragons 8, Whitecaps 3).
Playoffs: The Dragons earned the first half Midwest League East Division wildcard spot by finishing in second place in the division. The Dragons are making their first playoff appearance since 2011 and enter the playoffs as a first half qualifier for the first time since 2007. The Dragons have made the playoffs as a first half qualifier two previous times in franchise history, in 2001 and 2007.
Red Hot Finish: The Dragons closed out the regular season by going 16-5 over their final 21 games. They won nine of their last 10 road games.
Last Game: Wednesday: West Michigan 3, Dayton 2. Danny Pinero's two-out, two-run double in the top of the ninth inning lifted West Michigan to a comeback win in the series opener. The Dragons got a two-run home run from Bruce Yari in the fourth inning and took a 2-1 lead to the ninth. Dragons reliever Aaron Fossas retired the first two batters in the inning before a single and a walk brought Pinero to the plate. He ripped a double off the center field fence to bring in two. Dragons pitching was brilliant over the first eight and two-thirds innings as they held West Michigan to three base runners until the winning rally began.
Individual Notes

Jose Siri finished the regular season with a league-leading slugging percentage of .530, the second highest in Dragons history and highest since 2000 (Austin Kearns). Siri became just the second player in Dragons history to lead the league in stolen bases (Billy Hamilton, 2011). Siri also led the league in runs, hits, total bases, and extra base hits while tying for the league lead in triples and finishing second in home runs and fourth in RBI. Siri batted .325 with 22 home runs over his last 89 games (since May 21) of the regular season, raising his average from .218 to .293 and his slugging percentage from .303 to .530. Siri's 219 total bases from May 21 through the end of the season ranked second in all of Minor League Baseball. Siri's .621 slugging percentage from May 21 through the end of the season also ranked second in MiLB (full-season leagues).
Michael Beltre closed out the regular season by going 9 for 11 with three walks in the final series at Lansing.
Taylor Sparks connected on seven home runs in his last 15 games of the regular season. Over his last 10 games, he batted .333 (12 for 36). Sparks was selected as the Midwest League Batter of the Week for August 21-27.
Scott Moss became just the second pitcher in Dragons history to lead the Midwest League in strikeouts (156), joining Josh Smith in 2011. His total tied for second on the Dragons all-time single-season strikeout list. Moss finished second in the league in victories with 13, two fewer than the Dragons club record.
Jesse Adams over his last 33 outings: 3-2, 6 Sv, 0.75 ERA, 48 IP, 5 R, 4 ER. Adams did not allow a run from June 7 until August 6, a string of 18 straight scoreless appearances covering 24.2 innings. This was the longest Dragons scoreless streak since 2011.

Team Notes

The Dragons went 52-13 during the regular season when allowing three runs or less (32-4 in 1st Half; 20-9 in 2nd Half).

With 166 stolen bases, the Dragons led the Midwest League. This was their highest total since they stole 228 in 2011 (103 by Hamilton).
The Dragons hit 112 home runs in 2017, their highest total since they hit 120 in 2008.

Upcoming Probable Pitchers (Game times are Dayton time) (All games on WONE 980 AM and www.daytondragons.com)
Midwest League Eastern Division Playoffs (First Round)
Game 3 (if necessary): Friday, Sept. 8 (7:00 p.m.): Dayton TBA at West Michigan RH Matt Manning (2-0, 5.60)