Lugnuts Hold Off Dragons, 5-2
May 24, 2012
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Dayton (R-H-E): 2-6-3
Lansing (R-H-E): 5-10-1
WP: David Rollins (4-0)
LP: Dan Jensen (2-4)
Sv: Ajay Meyer (16)
HR: Dayton: None
HR: Lansing: None
Lansing, Mich.-Chris Hawkins and Andy Burns each collected three hits as the Lansing Lugnuts defeated the Dayton Dragons 5-2 on Thursday night. The first place Lugnuts jumped to 20 games over the .500 mark with the victory, improving to 33-13. The Dragons fell to 17-30 with the loss.
Lansing took a 1-0 lead in the first inning before the Dragons tied it in the third. Nick O'Shea lined a single to center field to start the inning. Junior Arias singled to left to move O'Shea to second, and Kurtis Muller delivered a two-out, run-scoring single to left to tie the game at 1-1.
Lansing broke the tie with a three-run bottom of the third inning. The first five batters of the inning reached safely as K.C. Hobson and Kellen Sweeney delivered run-scoring singles and another run scored on an error by Arias as the Lugnuts jumped in front 4-1.
The Dragons got closer in the seventh when Ryan Wright lined a double to right to start the inning, advanced to third on a fly out to deep center off the bat of Juan Silva, and scored on the same play when the throw back to the infield got away to make it 4-2. In the eighth, the Dragons loaded the bases with one out with a walk to Juan Perez, a single by Muller, and a walk to Joe Terry. But Steve Selsky struck out looking and Wright lined out to right field to end the threat. Lansing scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to close out the scoring. The Dragons were retired in order in the ninth.
Dragons starting pitcher Dan Jensen (2-4) worked the first four innings, allowing six hits and four runs with six walks and one strikeout to take the loss. Reliever James Allen fired three scoreless innings to keep the Dragons within striking distance. El'Hajj Muhammad walked in a run in the eighth in his only inning of work. Dragons pitchers allowed a season-high 12 walks in the game.
The Dragons finished with six hits. Muller was 2 for 4 with an RBI and is 7 for 13, .538, in three games with the Dragons. Wright extended his hitting streak to seven straight games, going 1 for 4 with a double. Perez had a hit and two walks.
The Dragons play at Lansing on Friday to wrap up the three-game series. The game will start at 7:05 p.m. (WONE 980 AM). Radhames Quezada (1-5, 3.65) will start for Dayton against Lansing's Marcus Walden (3-1, 2.16). The Dragons next home game is Wednesday, May 30 vs. South Bend.