Lugnuts Edge Dragons 2-1
May 15, 2012
Click Here to see the Box Score
Lansing (R-H-E): 2-5-1
Dayton (R-H-E): 1-7-0
WP: Justin Nicolino (2-0)
LP: Tanner Robles (2-3)
Sv: Javier Avendano (1)
HR: Dayton: None
HR: Lansing: None
Dayton, Ohio-Three Lansing pitchers combined to scatter seven hits as the Lugnuts defeated the Dayton Dragons 2-1 on Tuesday night before a crowd of 8,388 at Fifth Third Field. The Lugnuts completed a sweep of the four-game series with the win.
Lansing scored two runs in the fourth inning, both on sacrifice flies, to take a 2-0 lead. The Dragons cut the deficit to one in the fifth when Nick O'Shea drilled a long double to the fence in center field and scored from second on Juan Perez's bouncing single through the middle. Perez then went to third on Joe Terry's hit to right with one out. But Ryan Wright grounded into an inning-ending double play as the Dragons trailed 2-1.
Dayton had runners in scoring position in the sixth and eighth innings but could not come through with the big hit. They outhit the Lugnuts for the third straight game, 7-5, but went just 1 for 10 with men in scoring position.
Dragons starting pitcher Tanner Robles (2-3) worked the first four innings, allowing three hits and two runs with four walks and no strikeouts. He was ejected by plate umpire Dustin Klinghagen after the final out in the top of the fourth inning. Dragons catcher Yovan Gonzalez was ejected by Klinghagen just a few pitches previously.
For the Dragons, Juan Silva went 2 for 4 with two infield singles. O'Shea's double was the Dragons only extra base hit.
Dragons second baseman Ryan Wright turned in one of the finest defensive plays of the year in the fifth inning, making a lunging acrobatic catch of a looping fly ball off the bat of Lansing's Markus Brisker in shallow right field. Carlos Perez tagged at third on the play and, after Wright's throw home, Perez got around the tag of Dayton catcher Yovan Gonzalez to score what turned out to be the decisive run.
Once again, the Dragons bullpen turned in a great performance. Kyle McMyne, Lucas O'Rear, and Carlos Contreras combined for five shutout innings, allowing just two hits.
The Dragons fell to 14-25 with the loss. Lansing improved to 27-11.
The Dragons travel to Bowling Green, Kentucky to meet the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Wednesday at 7:35 p.m. EDT (WONE 980 AM Radio). Stalin Gerson (1-3, 4.66) will start for Dayton against Bowling Green's Roberto Gomez (2-1, 4.04). The next home game is Saturday against Great Lakes at 7:05 p.m. at Fifth Third Field.