Oliveras' Homer Keys Dragons 7-5 Win
September 4, 2010
South Bend (R-H-E): 5-8-2
Dayton (R-H-E): 7-11-4
WP: Josh Smith (1-1)
LP: Bradin Hagens (3-6)
Sv: Blaine Howell (5)
HR: Dayton: Mark Fleury (10th, 1 on base in fifth inning); Alex Oliveras (5th, 0 on base in seventh inning).
HR: South Bend: None
Dayton, Ohio-Alex Oliveras hit a tie-breaking home run in the eighth inning and Josh Garton added a two-run double later in the inning to lift the Dayton Dragons to a 7-5 victory over the South Bend Silver Hawks before a crowd of 8,629 at Fifth Third Field on Saturday night.
Oliveras drilled the home run, his fifth of the season, with two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the seventh after South Bend had scored two runs in the top of the inning to tie the game. The homer gave the Dragons a 5-4 lead that they would not surrender.
Dayton took a 2-0 lead in the second when Frank Pfister doubled to the left field corner and scored on Tommy Nurre's two-out double off the left field fence. Nurre scored on Justin Reed's base hit to left.
South Bend scored one run in the third and then tied the game in the fourth at 2-2.
The Dragons regained the lead in the fifth when Mark Fleury drilled a two-out, two-run home run to right field. It was Fleury's 10th homer of the year.
But South Bend took advantage of a Dayton error in the seventh to tie the game. David Narodowski's two-out, two-run single to right with the bases loaded tied the game. A throwing error by Pfister from third base earlier in the inning made both runs unearned.
Oliveras' home run in the bottom of the seventh made it 5-4. Fleury followed the home run with a single and went to third on Pfister's double. Garton then belted a line drive to left center that barely eluded South Bend center fielder Keon Broxton for a double as Fleury and Pfister scored to make it 7-4.
South Bend scored an unearned run in the ninth to close out the scoring.
Dayton reliever Josh Smith (1-1) retired all four batters he faced to earn the win. Blaine Howell pitched the ninth to earn his fifth save in five opportunities.
Dragons starting pitcher Tim Crabbe worked the first five and two-thirds innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs with three walks and seven strikeouts. He left with a 4-2 lead but was not involved in the decision.
The Dragons collected 11 hits. Pfister was 3 for 4 with two doubles. Oliveras, Fleury, and Nurre each had two hits.
The Dragons (22-45, 52-84) host the South Bend Silver Hawks on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Field in the second game of a season-ending three-game series. Daniel Corcino (1-1, 4.78) will start for Dayton against South Bend's Scottie Allen (4-4, 4.56). The season will conclude on Monday at 2:00 p.m.