Lugnuts Win over Dragons Features Triple Play
May 14, 2012
Click Here to see the Box Score
Lansing (R-H-E): 4-5-2
Dayton (R-H-E): 2-7-0
WP: Marcus Walden (3-1)
LP: Radhames Quezada (1-4)
Sv: None
HR: Dayton: None
HR: Lansing: Kenny Wilson (3rd, 1 on base in first inning).
Dayton, Ohio-Lansing starting pitcher Marcus Walden fired six scoreless innings and the Lugnuts turned a triple play on the way to a 4-2 victory over the Dayton Dragons on Monday night. A crowd of 8,284 saw the game at Fifth Third Field. The Lugnuts have won the first three games of the set.
Walden (3-1) allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out two to earn the victory. He got some big defensive help in the bottom of the sixth after Dayton's Juan Perez reached on an error and Brandon Dailey walked with no one out. The next batter, Ryan Wright, popped up a bunt attempt. Lansing catcher Carlos Perez caught the ball on the fly to retire Wright, fired to second to double off Perez, and second baseman Jon Berti's throw to first beat Dailey for a triple play. It was the first turned in the Midwest League in 2012 and only the fourth in the league in the last six years.
Dragons starting pitcher Radhames Quezada (1-4) had an unusual first inning. He walked the first batter of the game on four pitches, then surrendered a two-run home run to Kenny Wilson. Quezada then missed on his next 14 pitches, walking three straight batters to load the bases as the Dragons got the bullpen active. Suddenly, Quezada found his form, notching a strikeout, an infield popout, and another strikeout, to get out of the inning with just two runs in. Quezada stayed in the game through four innings, allowing another run in the fourth. He was charged with the loss. Quezada's six walks in the game marked a season-high for a Dayton pitcher.
The Dragons trailed 4-0 in the seventh when they rallied to cut the deficit in half. Sean Buckley doubled to start the inning and scored on Joe Terry's ground rule double to right field to make it 4-1. Two outs later, Yovan Gonzalez singled up the middle to drive in Terry and pull the Dragons back within two at 4-2. The Dragons threatened again in the eighth and ninth, getting a two-out hit in each inning, but they did not score again.
The Dragons outhit the Lugnuts 7-5. Steve Selsky was 2 for 4 for Dayton. Buckley, Terry, and Kyle Waldrop all had doubles.
The Dragons bullpen turned in another strong performance. Ryan Kemp, El'Hajj Muhammad, and Carlos Contreras combined to throw five innings, allowing one run on one hit.
The Dragons fell to 14-24 with the loss. Lansing improved to 26-11.
The series concludes on Tuesday as the Dragons host the Lugnuts at 7:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Field (WONE 980 AM Radio). Tanner Robles (2-2, 2.72) will start for Dayton against Lansing's Aaron Sanchez (4-0, 0.78). The Dragons play at Bowling Green, Kentucky against the Hot Rods on Wednesday at 7:35 p.m.