Heat, Royals Cool Down Rangers

 The Dayton Rangers relinquished leads four times throughout the game, losing 10-9 in 10 innings, splitting the season series 1-1 with the Kettering Royals.

      Brent Collinsworth doubled twice for the Rangers and drove in the first run for the team in the top of the second inning. The Rangers took their first lead of the game in the fifth after Jonmarc Lippincott singled in Jared Bradley and eventually scored on an RBI single from Clint Wolf. But the Royals tied the game at three in the bottom half of the inning.

The Rangers took their next lead in the sixth as James Robinson scored on a throwing error by the catcher and Bradley scored on a wild pitch. However, the Royals took the lead with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

The Rangers finally got to Royals reliever Andrew O’Donnell in the ninth as Lippincott and Wolf worked their counts for walks. The Royals looked to the pen and brought in newcomer Nick Biron to save the game. Jacob Robinson spoiled the save opportunity by roping a two-strike triple over the right fielder’s head to plate the tying runs. Robinson would come around to score on a Royals’ throwing error.

With a two-run lead going in to the bottom of the ninth, the Rangers looked to wrap this one up. The Royals, on the other hand, were not about to back down. After a leadoff walk to Mark Franklin and a Ben Ailes’ single, Rangers’ reliever Brad Clark induced a pair of ground ball outs resulting in one run. Ailes would then score on a passed ball to force extra innings.

The top of the tenth once again looked promising for the Rangers as Aaron Armstrong led off with a single to right. Jelani Arnold would then reach base on a fielder’s choice. With Arnold attempting to steal second, Lippincott roped a base hit to the now unoccupied second base hole to move Jelani to third, who would then score the go-ahead run on a throwing error.

But all would be for not, as the Royals’ Nick Biron punched a first pitch curve ball over the fence in the left to tie the game yet again. Nathan Schwab would then single for the fourth time on the day, followed up by a walk to Brian Duffy. Franklin laid down a sacrifice bunt to get both runners in scoring position. The Rangers coach elected to intentionally walk Ben Ailes, who already had three hits, to load the bases and create a possible force out at the plate. But the plan backfired as Ryan Hall used his psychic ESP(N) abilities and brainwashed the incoming fastball to hit him in the backside, plating the winning run.