Today’s game
Who: Bowling Green (7-4) at Dayton (3-8)
When: 7 p.m.
Radio: WONE-AM (980)
Despite a record that might suggest otherwise, it’s too early to say the Dayton Dragons are headed for another angst-ridden season.
So says Cincinnati Reds minor league field coordinator Freddie Benavides, who remembers this same group of players, for the most part, starting slowly last year at Billings, Mont., in the Pioneer League.
“They struggled out of the gate, then caught fire,” Benavides said. “It’s a very talented group.”
Billings lost eight of its first 10 in 2010 but rallied to finish 38-37 overall, just missing the playoffs.
The Dragons, at Fifth Third Field tonight to start a three-game series with the Bowling Green Hot Rods, went 2-5 on their trip to Lake County and Lansing, falling to 3-8.
Already a starting pitcher has been demoted as the Reds sent Tanner Robles (11.81 ERA in two starts), a ninth-round draft pick from Oregon State in 2010, back to Billings. Several hitters are scuffling, including second baseman Devin Lohman, batting .118, and outfielder Yorman Rodriguez (.158).
Lohman was a third-round pick in 2010 from Long Beach State, where he batted .404.
“He’s always hit,” Benavides said. “He needs to relax, and we just need to let him play.”
FIRE BREATHERS: SS Billy Hamilton stole two more bases Sunday and was caught for the first time as the Dragons split a doubleheader in Lansing. He leads the Midwest League with 11 steals. ... Dayton's top hitters have been OF Jefry Sierra (.357), 1B/DH Dominic D'Anna (.407), 1B/DH Donald Lutz (.353) and C Tucker Barnhart (.348). D'Anna is back in the lineup after a pitch hit him in the nose Thursday.
HOT HOT ROD: Bowling Green SS Derek Dietrich, a Georgia Tech product and Cleveland St. Ignatius High School graduate, is batting .423 with three homers and nine RBIs in his first eight Midwest League games.
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