Dragons End Regular Season with Record-Breaking Win
September 5, 2011
Click Here to see the Box Score
Lansing (R-H-E): 2-6-1
Dayton (R-H-E): 3-9-2
WP: Tanner Robles (7-9)
LP: Marcus Walden (6-6)
Sv: Chad Rogers (1)
HR: Dayton: None.
HR: Lansing: None.
Dayton, Ohio-Billy Hamilton scored two runs and stole three bases to lead the Dayton Dragons to a 3-2 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts on Monday afternoon as the Dragons broke the franchise record for victories in a season. Dayton finished the regular season with a record of 83-57, surpassing the 82 wins recorded by the 2001 Dragons. The Dragons also added to their club record for victories in a half as they improved their second half record to 48-22. The previous record for wins in a half was 44 in the first half in 2007.
In a holiday weekend filled with new records, the Dragons also broke the club record for team pitching over a single season. The team earned run average of 3.39 topped the mark of 3.41 of the '07 Dragons.
The Dragons also finished with the best full-season record in the Midwest League in 2011, edging Western Division champion Quad Cities, which went 81-56.
The Dragons finished the season by winning their last nine series. After August 2, the Dragons played 33 games without ever losing two games in a row, going 25-8 to finish the regular season.
The Dragons second half record of 48-22 was the best in Minor League Baseball among the seven full-season leagues that play a split-season.
Hamilton's three stolen bases gave him 103 for the year, the ninth highest total in recorded Minor League Baseball history.
The Dragons took the lead in the first inning. Hamilton walked, stole second, took third on the same play on the throwing error, and scored on Frank Pfister's two-out single to make it 1-0. In the second, Dayton scored again when Jefry Sierra singled with two outs, stole second, and scored on Theo Bowe' single to right to make it 2-0.
Lansing scored an unearned run in the fifth when Jonathan Jones came in from second on a throwing error by Dragons pitcher Tanner Robles to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Dragons added a run in the eighth when Hamilton singled, stole second and third, and scored on Pfister's sacrifice fly to make it 3-1. Lansing scored one run in the ninth but the game ended when Peter Mooney grounded to first with two men on base as the regular season came to a close.
Robles worked the first five innings, allowing two hits and one unearned run with three walks and eight strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 7-9. Chad Rogers allowed one run in the ninth and earned his first save.
The Dragons collected nine hits. Sierra, Bowe, and Chris Berset each had two.
The Dragons open the Midwest League playoffs on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Field in Dayton against the Lugnuts (WONE 980 AM). Daniel Corcino (11-7, 3.42) will start for Dayton against Lansing's Sean Nolin (4-4, 3.49). The series will move to Lansing on Thursday and 7:05 p.m. for game two. Game three, if necessary in the best-of-three series, will be played on Friday in Lansing at 7:05 p.m.
Notes: The Dragons were 9-7 vs. Lansing in 2011 and 7-3 in the second half. They won all three sets against the Lugnuts in the second half...The Dragons last playoff appearance came in 2008 when they swept Lansing in two straight games in a first round matchup before losing to South Bend in the semi-final round.