Dragons stemmed at South Bend

SOUTH BEND, In - The South Bend Silver Hawks battled back from a 2-0 deficit to score three runs in the fifth inning and five more in the sixth on the way to a 9-3 victory over the Dayton Dragons on Friday night.  South Bend has won the first two games of the three-game set, dropping the Dragons to 1-7 in the second half.

After being held to one hit and no runs over the first four innings, South Bend erupted against the Dayton bullpen for 12 hits and nine runs over the next three innings.  The Silver Hawks have scored 21 runs in the first two games in the series.

Dragons starting pitcher Radhames Quezada worked the first four innings before leaving due to bleeding under the nail on the second finger of his pitching hand.  He allowed one hit and no runs while walking three and striking out three.  Reliever Erik Miller replaced Quezada and endured a rough night.  Miller (0-3) worked the fifth inning and started the sixth but was replaced in that inning before he recorded an out.  He allowed seven hits and eight earned runs with two walks and a strikeout.  Mike Dennhardt tossed two innings, allowing five hits and one run before Ryan Kemp pitched a scoreless eighth.

The Dragons took the lead in the second inning, getting three consecutive singles from Sean Buckley, Jefry Sierra, and Kyle Waldrop to load the bases with no one out.  Buckley scored on Yorman Rodriguez’s ground out to make it 1-0 before Yovan Gonzalez grounded into an inning-ending double play.

In the top of the fifth, the Dragons extended the lead to 2-0.  Rodriguez walked, stole second, and eventually scored on Junior Arias’ double off the left field fence.

But the rest of the night belonged to South Bend as the Silver Hawks finished with 13 hits after collecting 16 on Thursday night in the series opener.

The Dragons finished with eight hits.  Buckley was 3 for 4 with a run scored.  Rodriguez had a double, walk, and two runs scored.

The Dragons play at South Bend against the Silver Hawks on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. in the wrap-up of a three-game series.  Tanner Robles (4-5, 4.56) will start for Dayton against South Bend’s Jesse Darrah (5-4, 4.34).

Notes:  Dayton second baseman Ryan Wright missed the game with a bruised knee after fouling two pitches off his leg on Thursday night.