Dragons Fall to Whitecaps 3-1 in Memorial Day Meeting
May 28, 2012
Click Here to see the Box Score
Dayton (R-H-E): 1-6-1
West Michigan (R-H-E): 3-8-1
WP: Wilsen Palacios (5-3)
LP: Jacob Johnson (0-1)
Sv: Michael Torrealba (4)
HR: Dayton: None
HR: West Michigan: Steven Moya (5th, 0 on base in fifth inning).
Grand Rapids, Mich.-West Michigan starting pitcher Wilsen Palacios and reliever Michael Torrealba combined to allow just six hits and one run as the Whitecaps topped the Dayton Dragons 3-1 on Memorial Day afternoon. The Dragons loss was their first in the series after wins on Saturday and Sunday.
Palacios (5-3) did not allow a hit over the first six innings. He left with two outs in the eighth, leading 3-1, and Torrealba notched the save by recording the final four outs, pitching out of trouble in both the eighth and ninth innings.
West Michigan scored single runs in the first and second innings, then got a solo home run from Steven Moya in the fifth to lead 3-0. The homer was Moya's third in the last two games and his fifth of the season.
In the seventh, Dayton's Kurtis Muller doubled to left-center field to give the Dragons their first hit of the day. Muller scored on Steve Selsky's single to center field to make it 3-1. Selsky went to second on Ryan Wright's line drive hit to left, and the Dragons had the tying runs on base with one out. Kyle Waldrop grounded out to shortstop as the runners advanced to second and third with two outs, and Sean Buckley flied to center to end the threat.
The Dragons had a chance to tie the game in the eighth. Nick O'Shea looped a single to right and one batter later, Muller singled to center to move O'Shea to third with two outs. Muller stole second, and again the tying runs were in scoring position. But Torrealba entered the game and struck out Joe Terry to retire the side.
Selksy singled to start the ninth, but the next three Dragons hitters were retired to end the game.
Dragons starting pitcher Jacob Johnson (0-1) went five innings and allowed seven hits and three runs with one walk and four strikeouts to suffer the loss. Lucas O'Rear replaced Johnson and fired two scoreless innings, pitching out of a bases loaded, one-out jam in the seventh. Cole Green made his Dragons debut with a perfect eighth inning.
The Dragons finished with six hits. Muller had two hits and a walk. Selsky had two hits and the team's only RBI. Wright extended his hitting streak to 11 straight games, the longest current hitting streak in the Midwest League.
The Dragons meet the Whitecaps on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. (WONE 980 AM) in the last game of the series. Centerville's Dan Jensen (2-4, 3.21) will start for Dayton against West Michigan's Marcelo Carreno (0-4, 4.11). The Dragons next home game is Wednesday, May 30 vs. South Bend at 7:00 p.m.