Cisco, Peterson Lead Dragons to First Win

Dragons 8, West Michigan 3        

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Grand Rapids, Mich.-Dayton starting pitcher Drew Cisco allowed only one run over six strong innings while Brent Peterson collected three hits, drove in two runs, and scored twice to lead the Dragons to an 8-3 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Saturday afternoon.  The win was the Dragons first of the 2013 season after the Whitecaps had taken the first two games of the series.

Cisco allowed just three hits and one walk to record the victory.  He struck out eight West Michigan batters including five in a row at one point, utilizing an effective assortment of well-located fastballs, curves, and change-ups.  The only run against him was a solo home run by Matt Perry in the fifth inning.  Cisco retired 11 straight batters beginning with the second batter of the second inning until Perry's homer with two outs in the fifth.

The Dragons took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning.  Carlos Sanchez drilled a one-bouncer off the right field fence to drive in Joe Hudson from first base to start the scoring, and Sanchez scored from third on Peterson's infield single to make it 2-0.  The Dragons added another run in the third when Peterson singled to right and alertly raced around to third on the same play when the throw back to the infield bounced away.  Robert Ramirez then delivered a deep sacrifice fly to right to bring in Peterson.  Perry's homer in the bottom of the fifth made it 3-1.

Jesus Adames replaced Cisco to start the seventh and worked two scoreless innings for the Dragons, allowing just one hit while striking out two as the Dragons continued to hold a 3-1 lead.  Then in the top of the ninth, Dayton scored five runs to break the game open.  Peterson, Ramirez, and Beau Amaral all had RBI singles in the inning as the Dragons built an 8-1 lead.  West Michigan scored twice against Dragons reliever Sean Lucas in the bottom of the ninth to close out the scoring.

The Dragons finished with 10 hits.  Peterson was 3 for 3 in his first action of the season.  He also added a successful sacrifice bunt.  Sanchez was 2 for 3 and is now 5 for 11 on the year, batting .455.  Amaral, Jesse Winker, and Jeff Gelalich all picked up their first hits of the season for the Dragons.

The Dragons (1-2) meet the Whitecaps (2-1) in the series finale on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Sal Romano will make his first Midwest League start for Dayton while West Michigan will counter with Jordan John, a left-hander.  The Dragons begin a three-game series at South Bend on Monday.  The Dragons home opener is Thursday, April 11 at Fifth Third Field against the Great Lakes Loons.

Notes:  Cisco threw only 75 pitches over his six innings of work…The Dragons have committed just two errors over their first three games.  Cisco's errant pick-off throw was the Dragons only error Saturday…The Dragons collected three hits with runners in scoring position in the ninth inning after going 2 for 22 in those situations over the first 27 innings of the series…Dragons pitchers have struck out 33 batters in the three games in the series while Dragons hitters have struck out just 16 times.