Dragons 5, whitecaps 4

Homer in Cincinnati inspires Dragons win

Sosa takes note of Stubbs’ winning hit, then drives in game-winner in 9th.

Tony Brown scores Dayton’s first run in the second inning Thursday, Aug. 20, to tie the score 1-1 at Fifth Third Field. It was the only run the Dragons scored until a four-run ninth.

Staff photo by Ron Alvey Tony Brown scores Dayton’s first run in the second inning Thursday, Aug. 20, to tie the score 1-1 at Fifth Third Field. It was the only run the Dragons scored until a four-run ninth.

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By Marc Katz, Staff Writer 12:40 AM Friday, August 21, 2009

DAYTON — Dragons first baseman Humberto Sosa saw former Dragons outfielder Drew Stubbs in the minors last year, then watched him hit a walk-off home run for the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, Aug. 20.

Talk about inspiration. Maybe what the Dragons need is more of it, like an actual visit to their parent club at Great American Ball Park.

What looked like a sure seventh straight loss turned into a 5-4 victory by Dayton over West Michigan. The Whitecaps allowed only two hits through eight innings, then four more in the ninth, including Sosa’s two-run double over center fielder Ben Guez’s head to win it at Fifth Third Field.

The Dragons trailed 4-1 entering the inning that began with Josh Fellhauer doubling and scoring on a throwing error.

“I was telling the guys I saw Stubbs play last year,” Sosa said. “And now he’s in the big leagues with a walk-off homer.”

The Dragons were begging for any kind of hit after losing a seven-inning no-hitter in Fort Wayne on Tuesday and waiting until Miguel Rojas connected for a clean single in the sixth against the Whitecaps. Wednesday, the Dragons were off. That would have been the perfect day for the team to visit the Reds.

“Make them (the Dragons players) fans for the day,” said Dragons manager Todd Benzinger, whose team tied South Bend for the last playoff spot. “Take them through the Reds Hall of Fame. Let them dream a little bit.”

Dragons pitching coach Tony Fossas said his dad took him to a Red Sox game when he was 13 in the early 1970s.

“I went home and I thought it would be great if I could do that,” said Fossas, who did, pitching 12 years in the majors.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.