Dragons Win 2-1, Force Decisive Game 3 Friday

East Division Playoffs, Game 2 (Best-of-Three Series)
                                                
Grand Rapids, Mich.-Dayton starting pitcher Scott Moss fired six shutout innings and reliever Dauri Moreta held off a West Michigan comeback bid as the Dragons defeated the Whitecaps 2-1 on Thursday night. The Dragons avoided elimination with the win and forced the decisive third game of the series at 7:00 p.m. on Friday in Grand Rapids.
For the second straight night, the Dragons took a lead to the ninth inning, only to see West Michigan rally. The Dragons led 2-0 and brought in reliever Jesse Adams to start the inning. Adams struck out the first batter he faced before allowing a double and a walk to put the tying run at first base with one out. The runners advanced to second and third on an error by Adams on a pick-off throw to first base. Adams got Anthony Pereira to ground out to shortstop as a run scored to make it 2-1. Moreta entered the game for the Dragons with a runner at second and two outs and got Austin Athmann to fly out to center field to end the game.

The Dragons jumped out to a quick lead in the top of the first inning, scoring before the first out of the game was recorded. Randy Ventura walked to start the game and went from first to third on Jose Siri's single to center. Taylor Trammell blooped a singled to center to drive in Ventura and make it 1-0.
The Dragons had chance after chance to add to their lead over the next several innings, but they could not capitalize. They had base runners in each of the first six innings and stranded runners in scoring position in the first, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. But they went just 1 for 11 with men in scoring position.
Finally in the eighth inning, the Dragons broke through for a big run. Cassidy Brown singled to right with one out, went to second when Carlos Rivero walked, and scored on a two out single by Ventura to make it 2-0 and give the Dragons an insurance run they would need.
Dragons starting pitcher Scott Moss worked the first six innings and was brilliant, allowing no runs on three hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Moss allowed just one runner past first base and no one beyond second. Carlos Machorro worked two innings, allowing no runs on two hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
The Dragons finished with 10 hits. Siri, Brown, and Michael Beltre each had two.
Up Next: The third and deciding game of the first round playoff series with West Michigan will be played on Friday in Grand Rapids at 7:00 p.m. Tony Santillan (9-8, 3.38) or Wennington Romero (5-10, 5.10) will start for Dayton against West Michigan's Matt Manning (2-0, 5.60). The winner of Friday's game will advance to the second round of the playoffs and meet the Fort Wayne TinCaps starting Saturday, while the loser's season will come to an end.
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.
If the Dragons advance to the second round of the playoffs, their next home playoff game would be Sunday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m. against the winner of the Fort Wayne-Bowling Green series. For Dragons ticket information, call (937) 228-2287 or go to this link: http://www.ticketmaster.com/search?tm_link=tm_homeA_header_search&user_input=dayton+dragons&q=dayton+dragons