Dragons Top Burlington 6-5 on Monday

Dragons 6, Burlington 5

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Dayton, Ohio-Tanner Rahier and Jesse Winker both belted two-run home runs and Ben Klimesh came out of the bullpen to record back-to-back strikeouts to end the game as the Dayton Dragons held off the Burlington Bees 6-5 on Monday night at Fifth Third Field. The two clubs have split the first two games of the three-game series. The Dragons improved to 8-16 with the win as Burlington fell to 8-12.

Klimesh entered the game with the tying run at first base and one out in the top of the ninth inning with the Dragons leading 6-5. He struck out pinch hitter Anthony Benboom looking and then got Kevin Moesquit to chase a slider in the dirt to preserve the win and earn the save.

The Dragons put together a two-out rally in the second inning to take an early lead. Junior Arias got it started with a hard single through the middle and Rahier followed with a home run to left field to make it 2-0. It was Rahier's first home run of the season. Beau Amaral reignited the inning with a single to center and went to second on Humberto Valor's ground ball hit to right. Zach Vincej singled to right to drive in Amaral and make it 3-0.

The Bees answered with three runs in the top of the third, keyed by a two-out, two-run double by Sherman Johnson that tied the game at 3-3.

The Dragons responded in the bottom of the third. Seth Mejias-Brean reached on an infield single to start the inning and Winker followed with a mammoth home run to right field to give the Dragons a 5-3 lead. Joe Hudson walked and Junior Arias was hit by a pitch. Rahier walked to load the bases, putting an end to the night of Burlington starting pitcher Brandon Love. After Amaral grounded into a fielder's choice as Hudson was forced out at the plate, Humberto Valor walked to force in Arias and make it 6-3. Vincej grounded into an inning-ending double play to end the inning.

Burlington's Andrew Ray belted a long home run to left field with one out in the top of the fourth to pull the Bees back within two runs at 6-4. Dragons pitchers kept the Bees off the scoreboard until the ninth when Burlington pulled to within one at 6-5 on a one-out run-scoring single by Brennan Gowens. But Klimesh was summoned from the bullpen to post back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.

The Dragons finished with nine hits. Jeff Gelalich picked up two hits to raise his average to .284. Vincej had a hit and an RBI as he extended his hitting streak to eight straight games, matching the longest of the year for the Dragons. 

Dragons starting pitcher Drew Cisco (2-1) earned the win. He worked the first seven innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Cisco has now pitched 33 innings this season and issued one walk while striking out 30.

Joel Bender replaced Cisco to start the eighth. He pitched a perfect eighth inning, getting three ground balls. He allowed two hits and one run in the ninth before leaving with one out.

The Dragons host the Bees at Fifth Third Field on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in the last game of a three-game series. Sal Romano (2-2, 1.71) will start for the Dragons against Burlington's Jake Boyd (0-2, 5.59). The Dragons begin a six-game road trip at Clinton on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.   All Dragons games can be heard on WONE Radio (980 AM) and via the internet at daytondragons.com and wone.com.

Notes: The contest marked the Dragons first two-home run game of the season…The Dragons have scored at least four runs eight of their last 10 games as their offense has started to click…Winker is batting .409 over his last 12 games with six doubles, a triple, and two home runs…Cisco has gone seven innings in three of his five starts and leads the league in innings pitched.