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StumbleuponDragons survive 4-error inning, win 7th straight
Dayton finishes homestand only 2 games behind Lansing in the Midwest League's Eastern Division.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
DAYTON — In one horrendous inning, Neftali Soto's fine evening almost went for naught for the Dragons. "It was crazy," Soto said.
"We were fortunate," Dragons manager Donnie Scott said. "We were lucky to win."
But win they did, for a season-high seventh straight time, despite a four-error seventh that wiped out almost all of the Dragons' lead.
Ultimately, Dayton's lead held for a 5-4 victory over Beloit at Fifth Third Field on Monday night, July 14, to end a homestand that nudged the Dragons to within two games of first-place Lansing.
Soto, the 19-year-old third baseman celebrating a week with the club, smacked three singles in his first three at-bats, knocking in three runs as the Dragons zoomed to a 5-1 advantage.
Then came the seventh.
"I don't know what happened," said Soto, who committed the fourth error of the inning on a ground ball that went through his legs. It all happened with two outs, as well.
A single put one runner on against reliever Enerio Del Rosario. A stolen base didn't seem to be a problem until the next batter grounded to first baseman Logan Parker, who bobbled the ball for error No. 2, allowing a run to score.
Then came a single to center that went through the legs of Denis Phipps, allowing another run.
Ben Revere followed with a high chop to Del Rosario, who had no one to throw to at first as Logan came in trying to make the play, too. A run scored on that, and another batter reached on Soto's error, but that was all.
In the bottom of the inning, when rehabbing Jolbert Cabrera of the Reds was called out on a close play at second on an attempted double, Scott had seen enough.
He not only argued with the umpire, he threw his helmet and picked up second base, throwing it, too. Then, after he was tossed from the game, he kicked his helmet four times into the dugout.
"I've never been thrown out of a game we were leading," Scott said.
At least he was thrown out of a game the Dragons won.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.
9 games to remember
Homestand record: 7-2
Winning streak: 7 games
Runs scored-allowed: 53-32
Start of homestand/games out: 4th/4
End of homestand/games out: 3rd/2
Next game
Who: Dragons at Cedar Rapids
Time: 8 p.m. Wednesday
Radio: WING-AM (1410)
