Last night was the first game of our 18 game season ticket package with the Dragons. The game took place on a clear, windy, very cold evening. The Dragons were looking for their first win of the season.
The good:
1) The Dragons won 6-3.
2) Starter Phillippe Valiquette pitched 5 innings only giving up 1 run (unearned) on 3 hits. He did walk 2, but worked from in front of the hitters most of the night.
I saw Valiquette pitch a couple of times last season and he was markedly better last night than any time I saw him last year.
3) Camardese and Stott pitched perfect 8th and 9th innings, striking out 3 in the two innings.
4) Eric Eymann took advantage of his first start at SS (Janish got the night off) by going 2-4 with 2 doubles.
5) Jay Bruce put on what I felt was a hitting clinic. His first time up in the first inning, he ripped a ball to center field that was straight at the center fielder or he wouldn’t have had a chance to catch it. Second AB in the 3rd innings, he ripped a single to right to drive in a run. Apparently in the 5th, South Bend decided to work him away, because he just went with the pitch and dumped it over the 3rd baseman’s head down the LF line for a double. In the 7th, the must have worked him away again, because he hit a rocket at the 3rd baseman, who threw him out at 1B.
What was most impressive was that he didn’t try to pull the ball in the 5th and 7th inning, just going with the pitch to LF. Very impressive display for someone who just turned 19 years old, and was playing only his 3rd game in A ball.
6) Mike DeJesus, getting his first start of the season, had 2 hits also. DeJesus is only 5’8″, but he’s not spindly little guy, he weighs 180 lb.
The Bad:
1) Jon George. He followed a losing performance on Opening Night (2IP 2 ER) with an even worse performance last night. He allowed no runs in the 6th, but gave up 3 very hard hit balls (one for a single), but in the 7th, he gave up 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits and was again hit hard.
2) BJ Szymanski. He’s really struggling. Was 2-10 going into the game and looked terrible in his last 2 at bats (weakly striking out both times, while going 0-4 for the night).
3) Bobby Mosby’s fielding. The Dragons infielders (Reininger and DeJesus) were charged with errors that could have been prevented with better decision making by Mosby. In both cases, the throws were off line, but he didn’t come off the bag to field them, allowing the ball to get by him. Unless Bobby’s defense improves, I think he’ll be a DH very soon.
Overall, a good night for the Dragons. My next game is Wednesday night. Hopefully the Dragons will be on a roll.