Campbell keeps ERA perfect in Clinton loss

Eddie Campbell knows he can't control everything, but he's done a good job managing what he can.

"Every game, the tone is set by the starting pitcher, in my opinion," he said. "You control a lot of what goes on, who gets on base. You want to get your team back into the dugout as soon as possible."

The things out of his control kept Campbell (1-0) from his second win of the season Wednesday. He went six shutout innings -- taking a no-hitter into his final frame of work -- and allowed a single and two walks while whiffing four in Clinton's 3-2 loss to Dayton in 11 innings.

"It was a tough game, obviously. We played tight all the way through into extra innings," he said. "But I do feel good about my start and the defense behind me."

Seattle's 15th-round pick from last year's Draft has not allowed a run in 13 1/3 innings over three Midwest League starts.

"I've been working on improving my fastball command," Campbell said, "but it's really been that my offspeed stuff -- my changeup and my curve -- have been great."

The Virginia Tech product struck out 66 and walked 22 over 48 1/3 innings for Rookie-level Pulaski last year. He entered Wednesday's game with eight walks and 10 strikeouts in 8 1/3 frames this season. Still, he wasn't concerned by either of the bases on balls he surrendered. 

"A couple of the pitches were really tight. I threw a 3-2 curveball that was tight, but it was a ball," he said. "I wanted that one. But I'm not necessarily going to analyze those too much."

The Dragons' Carlton Daal ended the no-hit bid by lining a two-out single to right field in the sixth. Campbell said the single didn't affect him.

"I'm paying attention to the game, so I knew I hadn't given up a hit. But that doesn't change how I approach anything," he said. "You just let the chips fall where they may. I think if a pitcher told you he didn't know he was throwing no-hitter, he'd be lying. But you just try to keep going."

Campbell induced eight groundouts in the start, including five in a row at one point.

"As a pitching staff, that's one thing we talk about the next day after the game -- how many of those balls were hit on the ground and how many were hit in the air," he said. "I want to keep the ball down and have them pound it into the ground and let my infielders work."

Dayton's Jeff Gelalich roped a two-run single to tie the game in the ninth and scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly in the 11th. The Dragons' win was their seventh straight and completed a three-game sweep of the LumberKings.

"When you're going to start in the third game and [your team] lost the first two games, that definitely puts a little extra incentive to go out and have a strong start," Campbell said. "But someone has to win and someone has to lose."

Tenth-ranked Reds prospect Ismael Guillon went 5 1/3 innings for Dayton, giving up a run on two hits and three walks while striking out three. He's 1-0 with a 1.65 ERA.