Dragons fall to TinCaps

Six Fort Wayne pitchers combined to scatter 10 hits as the TinCaps topped the Dayton Dragons 3-1 on Thursday night. 

Fort Wayne’s Agustin Ruiz hit a two-run home run in the first inning and the Dragons could not capitalize on several scoring opportunities as they stranded 11 runners including three in the ninth inning. The Dragons were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position over the first three innings and had the tying run on base with no outs in the ninth but could not complete the comeback effort.

Dayton starting pitcher Eduardo Salazar (2-4) was dominant after allowing two runs in the first.  He did not allow another hit over his six-inning stint and matched a career high with 10 strikeouts but was charged with the loss.

Quin Cotton notched his second four-hit game of the season and scored the Dragons only run in the third when he singled, stole second, went to third on a ground out, and scored on Victor Ruiz’s single to pull the Dragons to within a run at 2-1.

Fort Wayne scored a big run in the bottom of the eighth to push their lead to 3-1 before the Dragons rallied in the ninth to earn a chance to extend the game.  Juan Martinez led off the inning with a base hit, his third of the night, and Jose Tello walked.  But Reyny Reyes flied out and Francisco Urbaez struck out for the second out of the inning.  Cotton singled to center to load the bases, but James Free struck out to end the game.

Urbaez went 0 for 4 with a walk to snap his 15-game hitting streak, the longest by a Dayton player since Jose (Garcia) Barrero hit in 17 straight in 2018.