Beloit Snappers at Dayton Dragons
June 2nd, 2002
| Beloit |
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0 |
3 |
0 |
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0 |
0 |
0 |
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0 |
0 |
0 |
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3 |
10 |
1 |
| Dayton |
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1 |
1 |
0 |
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0 |
4 |
0 |
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0 |
0 |
X |
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6 |
9 |
2 |
E-Santana, Bergolla, Varner, LOB BEL-10, DAY-8, 2B-Nelson, Garcia, Ruiz, Williamson, Gutierrez, Patchett 2, SB-Santana, Esparragoza, Campana, Ruiz, CS-Williamson, HBP-Prince, Patchett, SACB-Chavez, Bergolla
HB-Steitz 2, WP-Steitz, SO-Candelaria, Garica, Bergolla, Varner, Williamson 2, Gutierrez, Prince 3, Patchett, BB-Nelson, Hinton 2, Chavez, Campana, Williamson, Davis
T-2:36, A-8,739
U-Bojo Morris, Joseph Maiden
Dayton Daily News
by Marc Katz
Randy Ruiz needed to get into a lineup and the Dayton Dragons needed some run production.
Daylan Childress need a longer outing and the Dragons needed more consistent pitching.
In a classic case of killing two birds with one stone, twice. Ruiz joined the Dragons 12 games ago and has produced ever since. Childress who had been bombed in his previous three outings, overcame a shaky start to reverse his trend.
Sunday afternoon, Ruiz had two hits, smacked in the tying run with a double, hit third in two day, and the Dragons beat the Beloit Snappers 6-3 in front of most of the 8,739 who bought tickets at Fifth Third Field.
Ruiz has 12 RBIs in his 12 games with the Dragons.
Ruiz' double came in the four run fifth, one of those rare big innings for the Dragons. Two batters later, Jesse Gutierrez cranked a double down the left field line that should have scored two more runs, except Chris Williamson, who walked, didn't see manager Donnie Scott waving him home.
It didn't matter, Justin Davis followed with a sharp single to right that scored two runs as the Dragons won for the second straight day following a four game losing streak.
"With Ruiz in the middle of the order, he's teaching them how to get it done," Scott said.
Ruiz has obvious hitting and base running tools, he was one of nine minor leaguers last season to hit at least 20 homers and steal at least 20 bases, but he needed work on his fielding.
Promoted to Stockton in the Class A California League this season, the first baseman/designated hitter slumped and by the time he lifted his batting average to .260, was only a part time player.
"I have to play ever day," Ruiz said, "The only way to get better is play every day."
The last day before he left Stockton, Ruiz was used in left field. It is the position he played most since joining the Dragons.
"Whatever it takes," Ruiz said, "Stuff happens for a reason."
Childress allowed three runs on two hits, a walk and an error in the second. He had allowed 14 runs in his previous 11 2/3 innings since pitching a one hitter in a seven inning game at Michigan, May 13.
"I wanted to get deeper in the game" Childress said, "My ERA was high enough as it was. But when I gave up those runs, I kept waiting for (pitching coach) Teddy Power to come over to me and shake my hand. That means I'm done. He never came around."
Scott said the decison was made early. "He's been wanting us to leave him in," Scott said, "He proved it to me, But I wasn't going to left him take the loss."
With two outs and two on by singles in the ninth, Scott finally lifted Childress for closer Nate Cotton to face Brandon Gemoll, Beloit's cleanup hitter.
Gemoll pounded Cotton's third pitch to the warning track in center, where Noochie Varner caught it.
"I don't know if it was the humidity or the wind blowing in," Scott said. "The wind gods were with us. On a normal day, that might be out of here."
On this day, the Dragons got the victory.