Terry Leads Dragons to 5-4 Win over Lansing
July 31, 2012
Click Here to see the Box Score
Lansing (R-H-E): 4-11-1
Dayton (R-H-E): 5-11-0
WP: Carlos Gonzalez (3-3)
LP: Shawn Griffith (1-1)
Sv: Carlos Contreras (13)
HR: Dayton: Joe Terry (6th, 0 on base in sixth inning).
HR: Lansing: None
Dayton, Ohio-Joe Terry collected three hits including a home run and Carlos Contreras pitched out of a tough eighth-inning jam to preserve the lead as the Dayton Dragons defeated the Lansing Lugnuts 5-4 on Tuesday night. A crowd of 8,686 saw the Dragons and Lugnuts in the opener of a three-game series at Fifth Third Field.
The Dragons battled back from a 3-1 deficit to win. Kyle Waldrop's run-scoring double with two outs in the fourth inning brought in Yorman Rodriguez to make it 3-2. In the fifth, Juan Silva delivered a bunt single, stole second, went to third on Yovan Gonzalez's fly out, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sammy Diaz to tie the game. Dayton took the lead in the sixth when Terry homered to right field with one out. It was his sixth home run of the year and second in the last two nights.
Lansing came back to tie the game in the top of the seventh on a two-out triple by Tipp City native Chris Peters followed by a double by K.C. Hobson to make it 4-4.
In the bottom of the seventh, Sean Buckley singled to right field to start the inning. With two outs, Diaz hustled down the line on a ground ball to second base and beat the throw for an infield single to keep the inning alive. Juan Perez walked to load the bases. Ryan Wright fouled off several pitches before working a bases loaded walk to force in the go-ahead run, giving Dayton a 5-4 lead.
Contreras entered the game in the eighth with one out and runners at second and third. He got Gustavo Pierre to foul out to the first baseman and then struck out Aaron Munoz to end the threat. In the ninth, Dragons left fielder Kyle Waldrop made a sensational diving catch on ball off the bat of Shane Opitz to start the inning, and Contreras struck out the next two hitters to earn his 13th save.
Dragons starting pitcher James Allen worked six innings, allowing seven hits and three runs with one walk and seven strikeouts. He was not involved in the decision. Carlos Gonzalez (3-3) replaced Allen and allowed one run on four hits over one and one-third innings. Contreras retired all five batters he faced.
The Dragons finished with 11 hits. Terry and Waldrop each had three. Silva had two.
The Dragons (14-23) host the Lugnuts (23-14) again on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. (WONE 980 AM). Cincinnati Reds 2011 first round draft pick Robert Stephenson (1-0, 0.00) will start for Dayton against Lansing's Anthony DeSclafani (8-3, 3.24).