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Y! MyWebSilver Hawks 4, Dragons 1
Poor fielding extends losing streak
Thursday, June 26, 2008
DAYTON — For the ninth time in 10 games, the Dayton Dragons gave up runs in the first inning and lost for the fourth straight night, 5-1, to South Bend at Fifth Third Field on Wednesday, June 25.
It was 3-0 before they came to bat, and it didn't have to be that way. An error led to three runs in the first inning Tuesday, and poor fielding led to three more runs in the first inning Wednesday.
Dayton starter Josh Ravin retired the first two batters he faced, then walked Mike Mee. Taylor Harbin followed with a single to center field, but Mee tried for third base, and center fielder Denis Phipps' throw beat him to the bag. But Mee was called safe, and Sean Coughlin followed with a three-run homer.
"A nonchalant tag killed us," said Dragons manager Donnie Scott, who had to remake his lineup an hour before the game when first baseman Logan Parker became ill. "That cost us three runs. The ball beat him and everything. Phipps made a nice throw. The umpire said we missed the tag."
Third baseman Brandon Waring admitted he did.
"I didn't tag him," Waring said. "I don't know how. He made a decent slide, feet first. I don't know how I missed him."
The Dragons never recovered, even after leading off three of the first four innings with hits, including Anthony Gressick's second homer in the fourth. Dayton had two runners on with one out in the first, but couldn't score.
Defense and pitching wasn't working well, either.
"The error last night (Tuesday) cost us," Scott said. "The (missed) tag cost us. We're walking too many. You're making the game difficult. We're killing ourselves. Some guys have to make adjustments on their own a little bit. It's taking these guys too long to make adjustments."
Tonight's homestand ends with a final game against the Silver Hawks, who have beaten the Dragons nine out of 10 times. Maybe that's the good news. It's the final time this season the Dragons meet South Bend.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157
or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.
