Dragons season ends in Lansing

Lansing, MI - The Dayton Dragons’ record-setting 2011 season came to an end on Saturday night as they lost to the Lansing Lugnuts 4-3 in the third and deciding game of the Midwest League playoff quarterfinals.

Marcus Knecht drilled a home run and added a run-scoring double to lead the Lugnuts to the win and series victory. Lansing advances to take on the Fort Wayne TinCaps in the Eastern Division Championship Series.

Lansing took advantage of two Dragons errors in the second inning to score twice and take a 2-0 lead. They added one more in the third on Knecht’s two-out RBI double to make it 3-0.

Dayton started back in the fifth. Theo Bowe started the inning with a bunt single, went to second on a ground out, took third on Billy Hamilton’s infield single, and scored on Ronald Torreyes’ ground out to make it 3-1. Hamilton stole second and eventually scored on Tucker Barnhart’s double to the left field corner to make it 3-2.

Knecht belted a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the fifth to give Lansing a 4-2 lead.

The Dragons scored once in the seventh and had a great chance to tie the game. They loaded the bases with no one out when Bowe singled, Jefry Sierra was hit by a pitch, and Billy Hamilton reached on a bunt single. Ronald Torreyes grounded into a fielder’s choice as Bowe scored to make it 4-3. But with men at first and third and one out, Barnhart grounded into an inning-ending double play and Lansing maintained the lead. The Dragons did not have a runner on base over the final two innings.

Dayton finished with nine hits. Hamilton was 3 for 4. Barnhart and Bowe each had two hits.

The Dragons will open their 13th season in the Midwest League in April, 2012.