A jacket was still a good idea Thursday night at Fifth Third Field, but there was heat in the sixth inning when Dragons reliever Daniel Wolford brushed back 6-foot-4, 230-pound South Bend slugger Yazy Arbelo, whose second-inning home run — second in as many nights here — had struck halfway up the batter’s eye in center field.
Coincidence? Not according to home plate umpire Dustin Klinghagen, who warned both benches, then had DeShields in his face for several minutes wondering what was going on.
Nothing further came of it and the Dragons hung on to win 4-2 behind right-hander Daniel Corcino, four innings of scoreless relief ,and some of the timely hits they hadn’t been getting.
“I just didn’t like the quick warning,” DeShields said. “It’s a ballgame going on.”
The Silver Hawks had just scored to pull within 3-2. They had a runner on third with one out. “There was no reason to give a warning right there,” DeShields said. “He said the batter stared at the guy, so that’s why he had to give a warning.
“I just told him it was premature. ... We were pitching him inside, but we weren’t throwing at him. When you’re competing sometimes, either he’s gonna eat or I’m gonna eat. Whatever it takes.”
Wolford, a right-hander with a plus fastball, said he was too “locked in” to notice Arbelo staring at him.
The crowd booed, but soon there was plenty to cheer as Wolford, after walking Arbelo, got the next two outs and the Dragons — who scored more than two runs for the first time in six games — opened a two-run cushion with one in the home sixth before slamming the door.
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