“I know what kind of players they are and they’re showing it right now,” beamed Dragons manager Luis Bolivar.
Game changer: Dragons starting pitcher Andrew Jordan was masterful in his opening Class A start. He went six flawless innings, allowing one hit, striking out four and walking two.
The right-hander from Gastonia, N.C., had everything working: a change-up, slider and a fastball that found an extra adrenalin pop.
“My goal is to keep my team in the game and that’s what I did,” he said. “My nerves building up to the game were up there a little bit, but as soon as I stepped on the mound it was tunnel-vision all the way.”
The Dragons (3-2) made the most of five hits, scoring twice in the sixth inning on manufactured runs by Michael Beltre and Jose Siri, who appeared to be tagged out at home. Jordan (1-0) and relievers Jesse Stallings (two innings, no hits) and Joel Kuhnel (one inning, one hit), combined for a two-hit shutout.
Ryan Olson went seven shutout innings in a series-ending 6-0 win at Lake County on Sunday. The last time the Dragons posted consecutive shutouts was May 2014. Dragons pitchers haven’t allowed a run in 20 innings.
“This is a great team,” Jordan said. “It’s definitely a championship team right here. We played at Billings and had good chemistry and I’m excited for what the season holds.”
Extra points: Whitecaps left fielder Cam Gibson is the son of former Tigers/Dodgers standout Kirk Gibson. Like his father, Cam also attended Michigan State University. The Grosse Pointe, Mich., native was drafted in the fifth round by the Tigers in 2015.
At 6-2, 200 pounds, Cam isn’t as big or prodigious as his father. But he has similar speed and he’s just as determined to make an impact. He’s already an established hit at Comstock Park in Grand Rapids, the Whitecaps’ home field. Fans wildly cheer him every time he does anything.
“My entire family’s in on it,” Cam told The Detroit News. “I’ve got no reason to do anything but succeed, because they’ve all trusted and believed in me for so long.”
He batted leadoff and had one hit.
• West Michigan (3-2) owned Dayton last season, going 18-3 against the Dragons. Credit much of that to former Whitecaps standout Will Maddox. Now with the Lakeland Flying Tigers, the third baseman set a Whitecaps season record with 173 hits last year.
On deck: Right-hander Tony Santillan (0-1, 2.45 ERA) gets his second start in Tuesday's second matchup of the three-game series. The Fort Worth, Texas, native was tagged with an opening-day loss to Lake County, allowing three earned runs in 3.2 innings.
Opposing Santillan will be lefty Greg Soto (0-0), who’ll be making his first appearance. From Daina, Dominican Republic, this is his fourth season in the Tigers’ system.
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TUESDAY’S GAME
West Michigan at Dayton, 7 p.m., 980
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