Reed's first homer enough for Dayton
Carroll doesn't allow any runs for the second straight game to pick up the win.
Monday, May 05, 2008
DAYTON — At least one level of the Cincinnati Reds organization had some pitching success Sunday, May 4.
That pitching, and an unexpected two-run homer by center fielder Justin Reed, was enough to lead the Class A Dayton Dragons to a 2-0 victory over the Burlington Bees in front of a season-best crowd of 9,171 at Fifth Third Field.
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Get latest headlines via RSS feedsIronically, Reed, a 5-foot-11 sprite who only recently began to find his way at the plate, said he was a home run hitter in high school, "with an aluminum bat."
Yet in two previous minor-league seasons, plus the first 27 games of this one, Reed hit a grand total of five homers, none this year until he jumped on Edward Cegarra's first pitch he saw in the fifth inning with Brett Bartles on and two outs.
Reed entered this month below the .200 mark, but is 5-for-11 (.455) over the last four games.
"I've been working with Bragg," said Reed in what has become a common Dragons refrain. Darren Bragg is the Dragons hitting coach. "He's got me staying down. I'm starting to get into my comfort zone. I'm capable of hitting home runs, but I'm more a line-drive and ground-ball hitter."
Cegarra, like Dragons starter Scott Carroll, seemed to be having an easy time of it, especially since he continued his success in finding the strike zone. In 28 previous innings, Cegarra — a Kansas City Royals farm hand — had struck out 28 and walked just one. He struck out nine Dragons in six innings and didn't walk any, but Carroll also is experiencing extraordinary success.
Carroll went seven innings, allowing five hits and walking two, but didn't allow any runs for the second straight game covering 13 1/3 innings.
He said he was so into what he was doing, he only realized Reed had hit a homer when he heard the fans cheering.
"I was trying to stay focused," Carroll said. "When we got the runs, I had to stay focused."
The Bees made a run at it, putting two runners on with two outs in the eighth inning and loading the bases with two out in the ninth. No runs came home, though, although second baseman Kevyn Feiner had to lay out to his left, snaring a grounder to throw out the final batter.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.
Today's game
Who: Quad Cities at
Dayton Dragons
When: 7 p.m.
Radio: WING-AM (1410)
