July 28, 2008 | LISLE, IL For the fourth straight home game, the DuPage Dragons played host to the Springfield Sliders. And for the fourth time in a row, the Dragons prevailed, defeating the Sliders by a score of 4-1. It was the sixth win for DuPage in their last seven games, while the Sliders lost for the seventh time in a row, and ninth time in their last ten. The Dragons also remained in a virtual tie for first place in the second half standings with a 9-6 record, improving to 22-17 overall.
The Dragons got started right away, bringing across a run in the first inning. Shortstop Pete Capetta (Illinois) led off the inning with a double to deep centerfield, and would advance to third on a passed ball with one out in the inning. After a second fly out, third baseman Phil Wunderlich (Louisville) would bounce a single through the hole at first and second to score Capetta and the Dragons would lead 1-0.
Brian Stroud (Western Michigan) had a wonderful outing for DuPage, retiring the first nine hitters he would face on the evening. He had a no-hitter through five innings, but with two outs in the sixth, Chris Gacom would hit a shot up the box for a single and the first hit of the night. Matt Lenski, who reached base on an error to lead off the inning, would end up at third on the play and the Sliders had runners on the corners with two outs. A walk to Jimmy Swift would follow, and then an infield single by Ryan Mooney would score the Sliders’ first run and tie the game at one apiece.
The Dragons would get the run back in the bottom of the inning. Catcher Matt Behren (Northern Illinois) would lead off with a single to right-center, and advanced to second on a one-out single by second baseman Jordan Tokarz (Eastern Illinois). Lenski would try to pickoff Tokarz a few pitches later, but the throw went high and wide of first base and Tokarz advanced to second while Behren came all the way around to score, giving the Dragons the edge at 2-1.
DuPage would add a few insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. After Sliders reliever Bryce Shafer would retire the first two hitters he would face on strikes, first baseman Justin Behm (Northern Illinois) would get a hustle double to put a runner in scoring position for the Dragons. Consecutive wild pitches would allow him to score, the second of which occurred on an attempted intentional walk to pinch hitter Scott Sexton (Oakland) that put another runner on first for DuPage. Kevin Tokarski (Illinois State) came in as a pinch runner for Sexton, and after another walk to centerfielder Justin Wilson (Oakland), Capetta would get his second hit of the game, a single to score Tokarski and the Dragons now held a 4-1 advantage.
Andrew Estes (Oakland), who came on in the eighth in relief of Stroud, would close out the game for DuPage despite a bizarre play that occurred in the inning. With two outs in the ninth, it appeared that Sliders shortstop Elliot Soto had grounded out to third to end the game. Many of the players moved slowly on the play as they could not tell if the ball bounced off Soto’s foot for a foul ball, but after the initial call of out was made on the play, both teams took the field to shake hands assuming the game was over. However, after the two umpires discussed the play, they talked to both managers and awarded Soto first base. Nevertheless, two pitches later, Behren erased the new baserunner with a magnificent pickoff from behind the plate, and the Dragons officially had their sixth victory in seven games. Stroud picked up his third victory of the summer, going seven innings, giving up only one unearned run and striking out four. Estes picked up his third save of the campaign allowing two hits and a walk while striking out two over two innings.
The DuPage Dragons now head back to the road as they will take on the DuBois Bombers Tuesday night, July 29th, in Huntingburg, Indiana. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm. The next home game for the Dragons is scheduled for Monday, August 4th, when they take on the Quincy Gems at 7:05 pm at the Lisle Sports Complex at Benedictine University. Tickets start at $6 with children five and under admitted free. Group rate are available by calling the Dragons’ ticket office at 630-241-2255.
Fans can listen to all the DuPage Dragons home and away games this season by going to our website and clicking the microphone [ here ].
