»RELATED: Errors cost Dragons against River Bandits
Good call. Collymore, who signed as a free agent with the parent-club Cincinnati Reds in 2017, delivered the winning hit in the 10 inning as the Dragons dodged the visiting Quad Cities River Bandits 6-5 at Fifth Third Field on Friday night. His stinger up the middle eluded the Bandits’ center fielder and Jeter Downs raced home with the winning run.
Scoring before Downs was the speedy Lorenzo Cedrola. He started the inning at second base, courtesy of a new extra-inning rule for all minor-league teams this season.
“We kept fighting and never gave up,” said Downs, who smacked an 0-2 opposite-field hit to set up Collymore. “If we keep on fighting things will turn around for us and we can make a push for (the playoffs).”
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Dragons reliever Brian Hunter (1-0) earned his first win. He struck out four in the final 2.1 innings, including the side in the ninth after the Bandits had runners at first and second with no outs.
Dragons tales: The fate of Reds prospect Montrell Marshall is yet to be determined, but Dragons teammate Tyler Mondile has struck out.
Placed on the suspended list on Monday for an undisclosed violation of team rules, the Reds released Mondile prior to Friday’s game.
“Unfortunately, things happen,” Dragons manager Luis Bolivar said. “Maybe he’ll have an opportunity somewhere else and I wish the best for him.”
»RELATED: Dragons first baseman suspended 50 games
A right-handed pitcher, Mondile was a sixth-round pick by the Reds in the 2016 draft out of Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey. He had spent all of this season with the Dragons, going 2-7 with a 6.51 ERA in 76 innings.
Marshall, a first baseman, was suspended by Major League Baseball last Saturday for 50 games without pay following a second positive drug test.
Mondile’s release was part of a flurry of activity for the Dragons on Friday:
• Logan Taylor, an outfielder, signed with the Reds and was put on the Dragons roster but didn’t play on Friday. He previously played with Evansville of the independent Frontier League.
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He’s the second former Evansville player to be signed by the Reds this week. On Monday pitcher Patrick McGuff, a Hamilton High School graduate and former Sinclair Community College standout, was signed and placed with Dayton.
• Midwest League All-Star pitcher Hunter Green, the Reds’ No. 1 draft choice who also went second overall in 2017, was placed on the temporary inactive list. That’s because he is on the Team USA roster for Sunday’s Futures Game at Nationals Park, which kicks off the three-day MLB All-Star Game festivities.
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• John Ghyzel, a right-handed pitcher and go-to closer, was placed on the disabled list with right bicep tendonitis. Ghyzel (2-4, 3.48 ERA) also has spent all season with the Dragons.
• Aaron Quillen, a right-handed pitcher, was promoted to Dayton from Greeneville.
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