Dragons Fall 4-1; Trip Ends Wednesday, 11:05
April 17, 2012
Click Here to see the Box Score
Dayton (R-H-E): 1-7-0
Fort Wayne (R-H-E): 4-8-0
WP: Luis De La Cruz (1-1)
LP: Radhames Quezada (0-1)
Sv: Matt Stites (1)
HR: Dayton: None
HR: Fort Wayne: Zach Kometani (1st, 2 on base in fourth inning).
Fort Wayne, Ind.-Zach Kometani hit a three-run home run and four Fort Wayne pitchers worked out of trouble to strand 15 Dayton base runners as the TinCaps topped the Dragons 4-1 on Tuesday night. The two clubs have split the first two games of the series.
The Dragons had runners in scoring position in six straight innings from the second through the seventh and had runners on base in eight of the nine innings. But they could push across only a single run as they fell to 5-7 on the season. Dragons hitters went a combined 0 for 11 with men in scoring position in the game. Fort Wayne hitters also struggled in those situations, going 1 for 10.
Fort Wayne broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth when Kometani drilled a three-run home run to left field. It was his first homer of the year to make it 3-0. Fort Wayne added another run in the fifth to lead 4-0.
The Dragons scored in the top of the sixth on a bases loaded walk by Juan Perez with two outs to make it a 4-1 game. But they left the bases loaded in the sixth and left men at first and third in the seventh. In both the eighth and ninth innings, the Dragons got a lead-off single but could not advance the runner.
Dragons starting pitcher Radhames Quezada worked four innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs with two walks and two strikeouts. Quezada's 12-inning scoreless streak ended in the fourth inning with Kometani's home run. Quezada (0-1) was charged with the loss.
The Dragons collected seven hits. The Dragons also drew seven walks and reached base twice on hit batsmen. Brandon Dailey led the attack, going 3 for 4 in just his third start of the year. Danny Vicioso was 2 for 4.
The Dragons close out the road trip on Wednesday morning in Fort Wayne at 11:05 a.m. against the TinCaps (WONE 980 AM). Left-hander Tanner Robles (0-0, 1.50) will make his third start for the Dragons. He will be opposed by Fort Wayne's Joe Ross (0-1, 9.95). The Dragons return to Dayton on Thursday, April 19 vs. the Quad Cities River Bandits to begin a six-game homestand. All three games in the Quad Cities series (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) will be televised on WHIO Digital Channel 7.2 (channel 23 on Time Warner basic cable; channel 372 on Time Warner's digital tier). Former Reds first baseman Todd Benzinger will join Dragons broadcaster Tom Nichols on Thursday.
Notes: Centerville native Dan Jensen pitched a perfect seventh inning for the Dragons. He has not allowed an earned run in eight innings this season...The Dragons are 3-3 on the current road trip...The Dragons have committed just five errors in the six games on the trip and did not have an error on Tuesday.