(Dayton, OH) - Oscar Gonzalez slammed a pair of doubles, drove in two runs and scored a run on Thursday night, but it was not enough to beat the Dayton Dragons (22-31, 53-56). A pair of former Florida Gators keyed a rally for Dayton, who came from behind and beat
(Dayton, OH) - Oscar Gonzalez slammed a pair of doubles, drove in two runs and scored a run on Thursday night, but it was not enough to beat the Dayton Dragons (22-31, 53-56). A pair of former Florida Gators keyed a rally for Dayton, who came from behind and beat the Lake County Captains (21-31, 50-72) for the second straight night. Mark Kolozsvary and Jonathan India helped drive Dayton to a 5-4 win in game two of a three-game series at Fifth Third Field.
The Captains scored in the first inning for the fourth time in their last six games. Gonzalez began his solid night at the plate with a one-out walk. Dayton starter Jared Solomon hit Joshua Rolette with a pitch and then walked Jose Vicente to load the bases. Will Benson followed and hit a sharp grounder to first base. Leandro Santana fired to second to force out Vicente, but Benson beat the throw to first from shortstop Jose Garcia and Gonzalez scored from third to give the Captains a 1-0 lead.
The Dragons tied the score in the bottom of the first. Garcia began the frame with a single, stole second and moved to third on a fly out to center by Jeter Downs. Andy Sugilio then hit a sacrifice fly to center and Garcia scored from third.
Lake County jumped back in front in the second with a two-out rally. Richard Palacios slammed a double to the left-centerfield gap and scored when Jesse Berardi snuck a grounder under the diving glove of second baseman Downs for an RBI infield single. Gonzalez then ripped a line drive down the right field line. The ball glanced off of Santana's glove and bounded down the chalk, as Berardi scored from first to give the Captains a 3-1 lead. Gonzalez tried to push his luck and take third when Sugilio bobbled the ball, but the right fielder fired to Santana, who threw to India at third. India tagged out Gonzalez in a brief rundown to end the inning.
Gonzalez added another run in the fourth. Erlin Cerda reached on a throwing error by Garcia to start the inning and Palacios singled. Berardi then bounced into a 3-6-1 double play, but Cerda moved to third and Gonzalez roped a double to left and Cerda scored to push the Captains' lead to 4-1.
Kolozsvary cut into the Dragons' deficit in the fifth. Captains starter Felix Tati walked Alejo Lopez to begin the inning and Kolozsvary hammered a two-run homer to left field that trimmed Lake County's lead to 4-3.
The Dragons took their first and only lead in the sixth against reliever Dakody Clemmer . Sugilio reached with an infield single to start the inning and stole second. India followed and worked the count to 3-2 before slamming a double over Todd Isaacs ' head in centerfield. Sugiilio trotted home with the tying run to make it 4-4. Clemmer then walked Santana and India advanced to third on a wild pitch. Lopez hit a sacrifice fly that knocked in India to give Dayton a 5-4 lead.
The Dragons' bullpen was flawless down the stretch. Dauri Moreta and Ryan Nutof combined to retire the final 12 Captains. Moreta (2-1) pitched three perfect innings with two strikeouts to earn the win. Nutof set the Captains down in order on eight pitches in the ninth to earn his fifth save.
Clemmer (0-1) took the loss. The reliever pitched two innings and allowed two runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out one.
Two Captains had to leave Thursday's game early. After being hit by a pitch on the right leg in the first inning, Rolette remained in the game until the fourth when Jonathan Laureano came in to replace him. Rolette caught three innings and had two plate appearances following the hit-by-pitch. Benson fouled a ball off his right leg in the seventh and finished the at-bat before he was relieved in the defensive half of the frame by Gabriel Mejia .
Lake County has lost the first two games in a three-game series at Dayton. The Captains will try to avoid a sweep on Friday night. First pitch at Fifth Third Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Information about Classic Park or the Captains can be found online at www.captainsbaseball.com and by phone at 440-954-WINS (9467). Affordable ticket packages and group party and picnic options are available now.
