Through the first half of the Midwest League baseball season, every time the Dragons played Fort Wayne, they lost.
Eleven games, 11 losses; by the quirk of the schedule, all at the new downtown Fort Wayne stadium.
On Tuesday, June 30, it looked like more of the same, although the venue changed to Fifth Third Field, and three of Fort Wayne’s key players were already promoted. A wild J.C. Sulbaran walked the first three batters and all scored, without the benfit of a hit.
And yet the Dragons came back, recording a 5-3 victory over the TinCaps, who used to be called the Wizards.
“We could have given up,” said Dragons outfielder Byron Wiley, whose two hits (one a triple) and two RBIs were key. “Being 0-11 against any team hurts. We feel like now, we can go to work.”
Sulbaran would have exited the first without allowing a run, but on a ball hit hard off his glove with the bases loaded, he threw wildly to first.
After that, he was lock down, allowing only two singles and striking out six through four innings when a low pitch count caused pitching coach Tony Fossas to pull him.
Fossas said he wanted Sulbaran to pitch longer, but he hadn’t pitched in two weeks, and he didn’t want to over work him.
Andrew Bowman continued as if Sulbaran never left, allowing just two hits over three innings.
Aguido Gonzalez was called upon to record his eighth save over two innings.
“They’re a very good team,” Dragons manager Todd Benzinger said of the TinCaps. “I didn’t want to lose to them 18-19 times.
“Andrew did a good job — he was the key — but he tired a little and Aguido was ready to go more than one inning.”
By another quirk in the schedule, the TinCaps have only three games remaining here, tonight through Friday.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.
