Dragons avoid sweep, beat Clinton 7-1

DAYTON, Oh - The Dayton Dragons scored six runs in the eighth inning to break a 1-1 tie on the way to a 7-1 victory over the Clinton Lumber Kings on Friday night. The Dragons avoid a sweep of the three-game series and improve their second half record to 10-17.

Dragons pitchers James Allen and Carlos Gonzalez combined to allow just five hits and no walks in the game.  Allen worked a career-high seven innings and allowed four hits and one run with seven strikeouts.  Gonzalez (2-3) earned the victory, tossing the final two innings and allowing one hit and no runs with two strikeouts.

Juan Perez opened the Dragons eighth inning with a single to center field.  Yorman Rodriguez reached on a bunt single to move Perez to second.  Ryan Wright bunted a 2-2 pitch up the first base line.  Clinton first baseman Jharmidy De Jesus fielded the bunt, looked to third, spun around and threw wildly to first, allowing Perez to score and give the Dragons a 2-1 lead.  After Kyle Waldrop drew an intentional walk, Sean Buckley lined a single to left to drive in Rodriguez and make it 3-1.  Wright scored when De Jesus mishandled Joe Terry’s grounder for an error, and Sammy Diaz grounded out to second to bring in Waldrop to make it 5-1.  One batter later, Juan Silva singled to left field to drive in Buckley and Terry to give the Dragons a 7-1 lead and close out the scoring.

Clinton initially took a 1-0 lead in the second inning.  Dayton tied the game in the fifth when Terry doubled, went to third on Diaz’s sacrifice, and scored on a sacrifice fly to deep right by Yovan Gonzalez.

The Dragons finished with 10 hits.  Rodriguez and Buckley both went 3 for 4 to lead the attack.

The Dragons open a new three-game series against the Kane County Cougars at Fifth Third Field on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.  Wes Mugarian (0-1, 4.97) will start for the Dragons against Kane County’s Kyle Smith (0-1, 4.30).