Three Dragons combine on no-hitter

The trio of Scott Moss, Carlos Machorro, and Brian Hunter combined on the first nine-inning no-hitter in Dayton Dragons history Saturday night in a 2-0 Midwest League defeat of Bowling Green at Fifth Third Field.

It was officially the second no-hitter in the minor league baseball franchise’s 18-year existence. Future Reds great Johnny Cueto threw a weather-shortened five-inning no-hitter in 2006.

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Moss went the first six innings and left after throwing 84 pitches. He walked three and hit two while striking out five. Machorro worked the seventh and eighth, retiring all six batters he faced and striking out three. Hunter pitched a perfect ninth.

Bowling Green’s Michael Brosseau flied out to center to start the ninth. Hunter then struck out Nathaniel Lowe and got Rene Pinto to ground out to third baseman John Sansone, adding another memorable moment to a season shaping up to be special for the first-place Dragons.

There were two hard hit balls by the Hot Rods. Robbie Tenerowicz began the second with a line drive to shortstop Hector Vargas, who made the play. In the fourth, Lowe lined hard to Taylor Trammell in left. The 27 outs included nine strikeouts, seven flyouts, nine groundouts, and one runner caught stealing.

The no-hitter came 24 hours after Dragons pitcher Tony Santillan took a perfect game into the seventh on Friday before surrendering two hits.

The Dragons improved to 29-13. They are 18-4 over their last 22 games and 17-2 over their last 19 home games.

Dayton, which scored both of its runs in the second, hosts the Hot Rods (17-23) again Sunday at 2:07 p.m.

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