August 26, 2022 – Midwest League (MWL) – Press Release from Dayton Dragons
Davenport, Ashton Creal of Iowa-Dayton delivered two hits, including a tying two-out, runscoring single in the eighth inning to lead the Dragons to a 6-4 victory over the Quad Cities River Bandits on Friday-evening. The Dragons have won two games in a row and six of their last eight.
On two separate occasions in the game, the Dragons fought back from a two-run deficit and went on to take the lead in the eighth inning. Dayton relievers Dennis Boatman and Jake Gozzo teamed up to work the last two innings to maintain the lead for the win.
Game Recap: Quad Cities took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third inning, but the Dragons reacted with two in the top of the fourth to tie the game. Mat Nelson and Steven Leyton both singled to start the rally, and Garrett Wolforth doubled out of the third baseman’s glove to bring in Nelson and make it 2-1. Ashton Creal then delivered a sacrifice fly to drive into Leyton and tie the game. Quad Cities re-took the lead with two runs in the fifth to jump back to the front, 4-2.
Creal doubled off the left field fence in the seventh, and Austin Hendrick lined a single to the center to drive him in and make it 4-3.
In the eighth, Tyler Callihan walked to start the inning and Nelson was hit by a pitch. But Leyton bumped into a fielder’s choice when Callihan was thrown out at third base. Wolforth struckout and with two outs, Creal singled into midfield to drive Nelson in from second place and tie the game, moving Leyton to third. Leyton came in to score on a wild pick-off throw to first base to give Dayton a 5-4 lead.
Boatman, who struckout all three batters he faced in the seventh, struckout two more batters in the bottom of the eighth in another scoreless inning. In the top of the ninth, Dayton’s Michel Triana hit a solo homerun, his third with the Dragons, to give the club a 6-4 lead.
Gozzo gave up a lead-off single in the bottom of the ninth, then gave up a walk with one out to runners on first and second base. But he retired the next two batters in a row on a tapper for the mound and a flyout to middle leftfield to end the game.
Boatman (2-2) was credited with the win, pitching two scoreless innings and allowing only one runner while striking out five batters. Gozzo picked up his third save by working a scoreless ninth. Vin Timpanelli, the first Dayton reliever of the evening, also threw extremely well, striking out four batters in two scoreless innings, while giving up one basehit and not walking. Starter Christian Roa threw four innings and gave up four runs on four hits with five walks and two strikeouts.
The Dragons hit 12 after picking up 11 on Thursday. Creal, Hendrick, Nelson and Leyton each had two.
The Dragons are 6-3 on their current road trip, guaranteeing themselves a winning record on the journey. Their all-season record improved to 57-58. They are 18-31 in the second half. Quad Cities fell 48-70 overall and 22-30 in the second half. The Dragons and River Bandits have split the four games played in the current series with two more on the schedule.
Notes: The Dragons have hit 135 home runs this season, nine less than the club’s record with 14 games left.
Following: The Dragons will face the River Bandits on Saturday night at 7:30 PM EDT in the fifth game of the six-game series. Thomas Farr (1-6, 5.03) starts for the Dragons.
The next home series at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District kicks off on Tuesday, August 30, when the Dragons host the Cedar Rapids Kernels at 7:05 PM. That six-game run, which runs through Sunday, September 4, will end the regular-season home schedule for the Dragons in 2022.
For ticket information, visit daytondragons.com/tickets or call (937) 228-2287.
On the Air: All Dragons home and road games are broadcast on the radio on FOX Sports 980 AM WONE. Games can be heard on smartphones, 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.
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