Whitecaps Shutout Dragons 6-0 on Friday

West Michigan 6, Dragons 0        

 

Click here for the box score

 

Dayton (R-H-E):  0-2-1

West Michigan (R-H-E):  6-8-1 

 

WP:  Montreal Robinson (1-0)

LP:  Ismael Guillon (0-1)

Sv:  None

 

HR:  Dayton:  None

HR:  West Michigan:  None

 

Grand Rapids, Mich.-West Michigan starting pitcher Montreal Robertson tossed five no-hit innings as the Whitecaps defeated the Dayton Dragons 6-0 on Friday afternoon in the second game of the Midwest League season.  West Michigan defeated Dayton 7-6 in 10 innings on Thursday. 

Robertson and relievers Slade Smith and Jose Valdez combined on a two-hit shutout on Friday.  Both Dayton hits belonged to first baseman Carlos Sanchez, who produced an infield single in the sixth inning and a line drive hit to center field in the eighth.  Robertson retired 15 of the 16 batters he faced, allowing only a walk to Dayton's Seth Mejias-Brean in the fifth inning. 

West Michigan's Mike Hernandez, a 29-year-old designated hitter who last played in the Midwest League with the Whitecaps in 2006, enjoyed a perfect day at the plate.  He was 2 for 2 with a double, two walks, two runs scored, and a run batted in to key the West Michigan attack.

The Whitecaps scored one run in the first inning on Hernandez's two-out RBI double, and then added one more in the fourth when Hernandez scored on a bases loaded walk to Mario Martinez.  They tacked on two more runs in the sixth to jump ahead 4-0 and closed out the scoring with two unearned runs in the seventh.

Dragons starting pitcher Ismael Guillon worked the first three and one-third innings, allowing only one hit but five walks and two runs while striking out six to suffer the loss.  Beginning with the last batter in the second inning, Guillon struck out five consecutive hitters but immediately followed that by walking the next four to force in a run.  He was then replaced on the mound by Joel Bender, who worked out of a bases loaded, one-out jam in the fourth before allowing two runs in both the sixth and seventh.  Bender pitched three and one-third innings, allowing four hits and four runs (two earned) with two walks and two strikeouts.  Mo Wiley pitched the final inning and one-third, allowing no runs on three hits with three strikeouts.

The Dragons (0-2) battle the Whitecaps (2-0) on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in the third game of the 2013 season.  Drew Cisco will start for Dayton against West Michigan's Hudson Randall.  The Dragons home opener is April 11 at Fifth Third Field against the Great Lakes Loons.

Notes:  Dragons pitchers combined to strike out 11 batters over eight innings…The Dragons have committed just one error over their first two games, a mis-played pop-up by second baseman Robert Ramirez in the seventh inning that contributed to two unearned runs…The game temperature was 41 degrees under blue skies…West Michigan manager Larry Parrish is in his 40th season in professional baseball and previously managed in the Major Leagues with the Tigers.