He meant that in a good way.
Odd defensive mistakes by Beloit, one of which benefitted Ibarra, set up Jack Rogers to be the ninth-inning hero. And Rogers delivered with a one-out double to left-center to score Cade Hunter from first base for a 5-4 walk-off victory over Tuesday night at Day Air Ballpark.
Rogers had two triples Saturday and the second one drove in the final two runs in a 5-2 win. He homered in Sunday’s win. But this time, after making three outs to the second baseman, he gave the Dragons their second walk-off win of the season.
“It’s a whole different feeling,” he said. “We’re just trying to go out there and put a good swing on the ball, and I think that’s why we’re rolling right now.”
The Dragons, who slumped to 9-12 after a 4-0 start to the second half, won their third straight and for the ninth time in their past 10 games. Now the Dragons share first place with Fort Wayne at 18-13 in a battle for the second-half East Division title and a Midwest League playoff berth.
“We want to get in the playoffs,” Ibarra said. “We want to beat the (Great Lakes) Loons, we want to beat Cedar Rapids. Whoever else is going to qualify they’re going to get in our way, That’s how I see it.”
The Dragons fell behind 4-0 on two-run homers by Zach Zubia in the second and Ynmanol Marinez in the fifth. Otherwise, starter Kevin Abel pitched well in his six innings. Then Jayvien Sandridge pitch two scoreless innings and Dennis Boatman pitched a scoreless ninth to give the offense a chance.
Mat Nelson started the comeback in the fifth with his 13th home run. Edwin Arroyo doubled in a run in the sixth to make it 4-2. Then the game got interesting in the eighth.
Austin Hendrick hit a two-out triple of the left-field wall to score Arroyo. Ibarra was next and hit a foul ball onto the street that got the fans excited for a moment. Then he swung hard and dribbled the ball about halfway to the mound for what appeared to be the final out.
Ibarra isn’t fast, but he always hustles down the line. Catcher Joe Mack and pitcher Cristian Charle bumped into each other trying to field ball. Neither could pick it up, Ibarra was safe and Hendrick scored the tying run.
“I hit a barrel right at someone earlier in the game and then I hit that for a knock – funny how this game works,” Ibarra said. “Once you get in that mindset of you’re a runner, you’re a runner. I saw it go in front of me so as long as I could take off and get my route in – hard 90 – I can control what I can control.”
In the ninth with one out, Hunter hit a line drive that left fielder Davis Bradshaw took three or four steps back on. By the time he charged the ball, Hunter had a hit. Then Rogers ripped the next pitch to the wall and Hunter scored without a throw.
“All the credit to the kids, they play hard, they never gave up,” said Dragons bench coach Osmin Melendez who was subbing for suspened manager Bryan LaHair. “Early in the game, their pitchers pitched really good. But those guys made adjustments in the second part of the game.”
LaHair’s one-game suspension is the result of a controversial start to Saturday’s game at Great Lakes. Dragons starter Hunter Parks hit Loons leadoff hitter Taylor Young with a pitch. Parks and LaHair were ejected.
Melendez managed in a summer league in his home country of Venezuela for a Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate from 2006-2011 and again for a Cubs affiliate in 2013. Twice in recent years at minor-league stops in the U.S. he has filled in for suspended managers.
“To be honest it’s not any pressure because I have to be like a manager because I am the bench coach,” he said. “Bryan, he makes the decisions but I have to tell him what I’m thinking.”
The Dragons’ pitchers led the league in ERA at 3.04 over the nine games previous to Tuesday. And they are thinking more clearly at the plate during this 10-game stretch with a league-leading 14 home runs and ranking fourth in runs scored.
“We’re battling and getting their pitch count up, and that’s what I was going out there trying to do,” Rogers said. “The past two weeks we’ve been getting in their bullpen really fast. That’s the name of the game is to see a lot of pitches, especially at this level, where there’s a lot of chase pitches. We’re really honing in on a zone and executing.”
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