Tippecanoe High School graduate Chris Peters had been to Fifth Third Field many times.

He was there with his father’s family for the stadium’s opening day. His father owned season tickets for years, and Peters played high school ball at the park both his junior and senior years.

But his visit this week was a dream come true.

Peters was recently called up to the Lansing Lugnuts. He signed with the Toronto Blue Jays last year as an undrafted free agent and made his way through the team’s short-season squad before being called up to Lansing, where he’s hitting .372 with three doubles and four RBIs through 11 games. He played in three of the four games of Lansing’s series in Dayton this week.

“I’ve been coming here since they opened the stadium,” Peters said. “Coming back and playing here professionally is a blessing, that’s all I can say. I love every minute of it.”

Peters, a standout at Tipp, graduated in 2007. He played college ball at Cincinnati, where he made the team as a preferred walk-on. After 10 games his freshman year, he entered the lineup at shortstop and spent the rest of his four years at the position.

At 23, he’s older than a player typically in single-A baseball, and as an undrafted free agent, he realizes some of the team’s prospects will get their chances to advance before he does. Peters is undaunted.

“You just have to work hard and take your opportunities when you get them,” Peters said. “When you get your chance you just have to take it.”

Dragons win again

Dayton defeated Lansing 5-1 and took three out of four games in the series.

Starter Stalin Gerson pitched shutout ball over six innings. He allowed four hits and two walks while striking out four to win his sixth game. Juan Perez was 2-for-4 while Yorman Rodriguez and Sean Buckley each had two RBIs.

Carlos Gonzalez finished the game with three innings of relief, allowing one run on five hits while striking out five.

Dayton manager Delino DeShields was ejected in the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes.

Wright promoted

Second baseman Ryan Wright was called up to high-A Bakersfield. Wright hit .285 with five home runs and 50 RBIs in 102 games with Dayton.

“This is what it’s all about for these guys,” DeShields said. “He’s very deserving and I’m surprised he stayed here this long, honestly. I think he is more than ready to make the jump.”

No. 53

Eddy Rodriguez became the 53rd former Dragon to make a major-league roster on Thursday. He debuted for the San Diego Padres and hit a home run in his first at-bat against his former parent club, Cincinnati.