MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – Lansing, Mich.—Daniel Guerrero allowed one unearned run over five innings to earn his first Midwest League victory of the season as the Dayton Dragons defeated the Lansing Lugnuts 5-3 on Tuesday night.  The Dragons win allowed them to avoid a sweep of the four game series in Lansing and snapped a six-game losing streak.  The Dayton win coupled with a Fort Wayne loss earlier in the day increased the Dragons lead in the wildcard race to two games with 19 to play.

Guerrero, who entered the game with an 0-4 record and a 10.20 earned run average, allowed five hits and one unearned run over five innings with one walk and three strikeouts to earn the victory.  Aguido Gonzalez retired the final six batters of the game for his third save.

For the third time in the four game series, the Dragons scored in the top of the first inning to grab the early lead.  Jake Kahaulelio began the game with a double to left-center field and went to third on Zack Cozart’s bunt single.  One batter later, Brandon Waring singled to right to drive in Kahaulelio and move Cozart to second.  With two outs, Devin Mesoraco singled in Cozart to make it 2-0.

In the third, the Dragons added three more runs.  Neftali Soto doubled high off the left field fence and Waring singled to left to move Soto to third.  A wild pitch brought in Soto and moved Waring to second.  Waring went to third on Denis Phipps’ ground out and scored when Mesoraco grounded to short.  Mesoraco was safe at first on the play when Lansing shortstop Justin Jackson bobbled the ball.  Jason Bour then singled to left to move Mesoraco to second and Brandon Menchaca followed with a single to left to bring in Mesoraco and make it 5-0.

Lansing started back in the bottom of the third, scoring on an errant pick-off throw by catcher Devin Mesoraco to third base, to make it 5-1.

In the eighth inning, Dragons reliever Ruben Medina, who had retired six in a row on the night entering the inning, walked the first three batters on a total of 12 pitches.  Gonzalez replaced Medina with the bases loaded and no outs and allowed a sacrifice fly to Jonathan Jaspe to make it 5-2.  Gonzalez was called for a balk to allow a run to score to make it 5-3, but he struck out the next two batters to retire the side.  Gonzalez pitched a perfect ninth, notching two strikeouts, for the save.

The Dragons finished with nine hits.  Waring went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Dragons open a three-game series at Great Lakes on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.  Curtis Partch (3-9, 5.28) will start for Dayton.

Box Score: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_08_12_dayafx_lanafx_1

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