On Tuesday night, the song was “Moon Over Mexico” by Luke Combs. Under a moon over Ohio, Ibarra ripped an RBI double and a two-run tying single. And when the game ended in a 6-5 loss to Great Lakes, Ibarra was on deck with a runner at third. He didn’t get the chance to hit a walk-off moonshot, or even a tying single, as a prelude to the postgame fireworks show.
“I hope I get up to hurt this baseball – it doesn’t matter where it goes,” Ibarra said was his thought as he waited his turn. “The plan was to get up there and just sing a song. It worked out pretty good today, so I’ll try it tomorrow.”
Ibarra’s music tastes run from rap to country. But what he says he and his teammates really have a taste for is winning. Players development has been and always will be the No. 1 goal in the minor leagues, but the Dragons showed again Tuesday night why winning matters with a ninth-inning rally that was almost enough.
Trailing 6-4 entering the ninth, Austin Hendrick walked with one out, moved to third on Austin Callahan’s single and scored on Justice Thompson’s single. But Great Lakes closer Benony Robles struck out Tyler Callihan and Mat Nelson swinging to end the game.
“The incentive to win is greater than the cost of individual performance,” Ibarra said. “I feel like it’s showing out there because you see our competitive edge when it comes down to situations like that. As much as we live for it, and as much as we’d love to get in those situations, it’s tough when you lose. But you have to be realistic. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. It’s about how you come back tomorrow.”
The Dragons (39-37, 6-4 second half) fell out of first place for the first time in the second half behind Fort Wayne (7-3) and into a tie with first-half winner Great Lakes.
The Dragons led 2-0 when Hunter Parks departed after five innings, two hits, two walks and nine strikeouts. Then it was time for Eddy Demurias to get in his rehab work as he tries to recover from a shoulder injury to rejoin AAA Louisville.
It did not go well for Demurias, who pitched for the Dragons in 2019 and 2021. He allowed four hits, including two doubles, and two runs on the first eight pitches of the sixth inning. After a strikeout, Chris Newell’s two-run double put the Loons up 4-2.
Ibarra tied the score 4-4 in the bottom of the inning, but Demurias allowed a two-out, two run homer to Luis Diaz in the seventh.
Relief pitching also contributed to two losses last week in a 3-3 series split at West Michigan. The Dragons lost after blown saves by Jayvien Sandridge on Friday and Myles Gayman on Sunday. Last week the Dragons best late-inning pitchers, Jake Gozzo and Vin Timpanelli, were promoted to AA Chattanooga.
The Dragons began the second half 4-0 for the first time since 2002. That year they won 11 straight. After a slow start to the season and 8-13 record in April, the Dragons are 31-24 and were 15-11 in June.
Ibarra expects the team to bounce back, especially if he or anyone else comes to bat in a late-game, high-pressure situation.
“You can get so mental in that box, but all that matters is what’s between the ears when you step in that box,” he said. “It’s go time.”
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