Dragons blank Whitecaps

Dayton starting pitcher Jacques Pucheu and two relievers combined on a three-hit shutout as the Dragons defeated the West Michigan Whitecaps 8-0 on Thursday night. The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Dragons and gave them their first victory in the current series at West Michigan after two Whitecaps wins to start the seven-game set.

The Dragons collected 13 hits, marking their largest total since they had 15 on July 8. The eight runs represented the most by the Dragons since they scored eight on July 18, and the eight-run margin of victory was their largest in two months, since they beat Lake County 15-4 on June 5. The shutout was the first for Dragons pitchers since June 22 and their fifth of the year.

Pucheu (4-1) worked six innings, allowing just two hits with one walk and seven strikeouts to earn the win. Vin Timpanelli tossed two innings and Ricky Karcher pitched the ninth. West Michigan advanced only two runners as far as second base in the game and did not push a runner to third.

Over Pucheu’s last four starts, he has tossed 20 innings and allowed just six hits and four runs for an ERA of 1.80.

The Dragons remain 2 1/2 games behind Great Lakes in the East Division of the High-A Central League. Great Lakes defeated Fort Wayne 5-1 on Thursday.

SATURDAY’S GAME

Dayton at West Michigan, 7:05 p.m., 980

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