Published: July 30, 2009 12:34 am      

Smith, Dans defeat Cavemen

Johnson goes 2-for-4 with two doubles

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Danville’s Matt Smith bounced back to help the Dans beat the Hannibal Cavemen 3-1 on Wednesday night.

In Smith’s three previous starts for Danville, he was 0-2 with a 7.10 ERA after starting the year 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA.

The right-hander from St. Leo allowed just one run on four hits in six innings as he improve to 3-3 with the victory.

“It was good to see Matt throwing the way he did tonight,’’ Danville manager Pete Paciorek said. “He had good command of his pitches and he did his job.’’

Brett Huber tossed two shutout innings of relief followed by Ryan Livingstone, who picked up his second save with a shutout inning of his own.

Danville, which improved to 24-20, got single runs in the second, sixth and eighth innings against Hannibal starter Ashley Graeter (3-3).

Nate Johnson, who went 2-for-4, and Dabo Worthington had a RBI doubles for the Dans, while Scott Schauer had a solo homer.

With the victory, Danville remains 4½ games behind Quincy in the Prospect League’s West Division.

The Gems pulled out a 5-4 victory in 11 innings at home against the Springfield Rifles on Wednesday night. Quincy’s Luke Schlechte drew a one-out bases loaded walk in the 11th.

“We can’t do anything about what happens in Quincy,’’ Paciorek said. “We just have to keep playing good baseball and hope we have enough at the end.

“We have three big games with them at end of this week, but we have to take care of business against DuPage first.’’

The Dans are back home tonight with a 6:30 p.m. contest against the DuPage Dragons.

Danville is sending right-hander Donovan Drake to the mound.