Dragons top BG, Earn Split of 2-Game Set

Dayton, Ohio-Juan Martinez delivered a two-run double and four Dayton pitchers combined to scatter seven hits as the Dragons defeated the Bowling Green Hot Rods 4-2 on Wednesday night. The Dragons and Hot Rods split the brief two-game set in Dayton.

Dragons starting pitcher Ricky Salinas (4-3), who enjoyed a tremendous month of June with a 1.03 ERA in five starts, earned the win in his first start in July. Salinas worked five innings, allowing only one run on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Eddy Demurias replaced Salinas to start the sixth and worked two innings, surrendering one run on three hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Matt Pidich worked a perfect eighth inning, and Connor Bennett pitched a scoreless ninth for his 11th save. 
Each team scored one run in the first inning. After Bowling Green took the lead in the top half of the frame, the Dragons came back to tie it when Michael Siani walked, stole second, went to third on an error, and scored on Randy Ventura's triple. 
The Dragons took the lead in the fourth inning with a pair of runs. Pabel Manzanero and Brian Rey each singled to start the inning and Juan Martinez followed with a double to the left field bullpen area to drive in both runners and make it 3-1.
Bowling Green scored one run in the top of the seventh, but the Dragons responded in the bottom of the same inning. Morgan Lofstrom doubled to left field to start the inning and Siani followed with an infield single that deflected off the first baseman. When the Bowling Green second baseman picked up the ball off the deflection, he threw wildly to first to try to get Siani, allowing Lofstrom to score to make it 4-2.
The Dragons collected 12 hits including two each by Siani, Martinez, Mariel Bautista, and Bren Spillane. Siani's stolen base was his 23rd of the year, second most in the league.
Up Next:  The Dragons (5-8, 33-50) travel to Bowling Green, Kentucky for two games against the Hot Rods (10-3, 49-34) on Thursday and Friday. Both games start at 7:35 p.m. (EDT). Connor Curlis (2-2, 3.86) will start for the Dragons against Bowling Green's Matthew Liberatore (6-1, 1.50) on Thursday. 
The Dragons return home to open a nine-game, 10-day home stand on Saturday night against the South Bend Cubs at 7:08 p.m.
On the Air:  All Dragons games are broadcast on radio on Fox Sports 980 WONE AM. Games can be heard on smart phones, iPads, and other mobile devices via the free Dragons Mobile App, or on a computer at wone.com. Games are also available on HD Radio on 104.7 WTUI HD 2. 
All Saturday and Sunday home games are televised on Dayton's CW (channel 26; Spectrum cable channels 13 and 1013). 
For Dragons 2019 ticket information, call (937) 228-2287.
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