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Dayton Dragons

Clinched! Dragons Headed to Midwest League Playoffs

June 12, 2007 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Lansing, MI - The Dayton Dragons "Magic Number" entering play in the series finale on Tuesday night was two over the Lansing Lugnuts. With a win against Lansing at Oldsmobile Park on Tuesday night, the Dayton Dragons would clinch the team's first post season berth since the 2002 season. Dayton will be playoff bound come September, riding the right arm of Sean Watson (WP, 5-2) and clinching no worse than the first half Wild Card with a 10-6 win over Lansing.

With their 41st victory of the season, the 2007 Dragons have tied the franchise record for most wins in a half of baseball. The 2001 Dragons won 41 games in both the first and second halves, and the 2002 Dragons picked up 41 victories in the second half.

The Dragons wasted little time getting on the board in the top half of the first inning off Lansing starter Nate Starner (LP, 5-6). Drew Stubbs and Justin Turner picked up back-to-back hits to open up the ball game. When Lugnuts right fielder Jonathan Baksh booted the baseball on Turner's hit, Stubbs went to third base. Chris Valaika followed with a sacrifice fly, and the Dragons led 1-0. One out later, Chris Heisey took a 1-1 pitch from Starner over the 22-foot high fence in left field for his third home run of the season. The two run shot gave Dayton a 3-0 lead before Lansing ever swung the bats.

Dayton added another run against Starner in the top of the second inning on three consecutive hits. Eddy Rodriguez, Logan Parker, and Denis Phipps hit three singles in a row, with Phipps' base hit scoring Rodriguez for the 4-0 advantage.

Watson dominated the Lugnuts on the night posting nine strikeouts in 6.0 scoreless innings of work. The right hander took over the strikeout lead in the Midwest League over West Michigan's Chris Cody during a middle innings stretch in which he struck out six Lansing batters in a row.

The big inning for the Dragons came in the seventh against Julio Pinto (ND) as Dayton scored six runs on seven hits in the frame. Rodriguez and Turner each had two runs batted in, while Gerardo Cabrera and Stubbs picked up the other RBIs in the inning. Turner's double was the only one of the seven hits that went for extra bases, as the Dragons strung together a bunch of singles to blow the game wide open.

Lansing came back with their own six run inning against the Dragons in the bottom of the eighth. Terrell Young (ND) did not get an out as he allowed three walks and two hits to the five batters he faced. All five eventually scored, and Marcos Mateo (ND) allowed one more run before finally getting the three outs to end the threat. Fortunately for the Dragons, the Lugnuts effort proved to be too little, too late.

The Dragons open up a quick two game series Wednesday night at Fifth Third Field against the South Bend Silver Hawks with a 7:00 PM first pitch. The Dragons have not yet named a pitcher for the opening game of the series. South Bend will send LHP Jordan Norberto (1-3, 7.43 ERA) to the hill. 1410 ESPN Radio will carry the game live beginning with the pre game show at 6:30 PM. The game will also be streamed live on the internet via All-In Broadcasting at www.daytondragons.com.

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