Lansing Lugnuts at Dayton Dragons
April 15th, 2004
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E-Larsen, Bolivar, Votto, Urgelles, LOB LAN-7, DAY-5, 3B-Olmstead, HR-Fox (Till), Bolivar (Rapada), SACB-Olmstead, SB-Walker, CS-Walker, Boyer
PB-Urgelles, SO-Walker 2, Chirinos 2, Dopirak, Collins, Larsen, Fox 2, Boyer 2, Francisco 3, Dickerson 2, Bolivar, Votto, Fry, Himes 3, Hernandez, Cairns 2, Urgelles 2, BB-Dopirak, Collins, Votto, Hernandez
T-2:59, A-7,707
HP-Cory Blaser, BS-Greg Tucker
Dayton Daily News
by Marc Katz
Luis Bolivar might not have been the last guy you'd pick to hit a walk off game winning homer, but he would be pretty far down the list.
Thursday night, Bolivar went right to the top, pumping a 1-1 changeup into the left field Dragons Lair with two on and two outs as the Dayton Dragons defeated the Lansing Lugnuts 4-3 in 10 innings for their second straight victory and second straight game won by Bolivar at Fifth Third Field.
"Tonight was my turn again to win the game," said Bolivar, whose double in the bottom of the last inning Wednesday night won that game for the Dragons. "I'm so happy."
Bolivar considered himself lucky to be able to hit. As he walked to the plate, he thought the Lugnuts might consider walking him with runners on first and third to load the bases for left handed hitter Joey Votto. After all, pitcher Clay Rapada is a left hander with a sweeping sidearm delivery, tough on left handed batters.
But the Lugnuts pitched to Boliar, at 6 for 1, 175 pounds, one of the smallest of the Dragons and the team's shortstop.
"Bollie's got some pop," Dragons manager Alonzo Powell said. "He can hit the ball out of the ballpark. But he's not your typical home run hitter."
He hit two home runs with the Dragons last year, then was sent to Billings, Montana, in the rookie Pioneer League and hit nine more. "I want to hit today," Bolivar said. "When I'm hitting good, I don't think of how many homers I can hit. I want to have good at bats."
Bolivar's two hits Wednesday were hit first two of the season. He added two more and all his team's RBIs with an infield single in the eighth inning that scored Walter Olmstead to tie the game 1-1 following Olmstead's triple in the right field corner.
Olmstead figured prominently in the 10th inning too. With one out he singled and was almost picked off. "He (first baseman Brian Dopirak) put a tag down and I didn't put my hand in there," Olmstead said, "He picked up the glove, then I put my hand on the bag."
Lansing manager Julio Garcia made a little fuss, to no avail and Jeff Urgelles singled Olmstead to third.
After Chris Dickerson made the second out of the inning. Bolivar came to bat.
While Dickerson was the only player on either side to go 0 for 5 in the game, he, too, made a major contribution.
With the bases loaded and two out in the sixth, Lansing's Jake Fox, whose homer in the fifth game the Lugnuts a 1-0 lead, drove a high fly to the 402 foot mark on the fence just to the right of dead center.
Dickerson raced back and caught the ball over his shoulder a he ran into the marker. He made a similar catch a few days before.
"That's why you practice," Dickerson said, "I consider myself a defensive specialist."
Dragons Tales
Lost in the excitement of Bolivar's home was the fine pitching of Brock Till (5 innings, one run, 4 hits), Derek Hawk (3 innings, no runs, 4 hits) and closer David Shafer (2 innings, no runs, no hits). In all, the three struck out 16 Lugnuts, tying a team record.
The Dragons have scored 10 of their last 11 runs over three games with two outs.
Outfielder Kyle Smith, who hit his first home run Wednesday, was a late scratch with some stiffness in his left shoulder. He's expected to be back in the lineup tonight.
The Dragons will leave by bus at 7 this morning for their 440 mile trip to Clinton, Iowa, for tonight's begining of a four gam series with the Lumberkings.