And a split on a 12-game road trip? Even though the Dragons were in position to win both series, a split is something every team will take. Especially when it is accompanied by improvement.
“They’re all making adjustments to things that they’ve been bad at and gotten better at,” manager Vince Harrison Jr. said. “When you just get more guys having more quality at bats, it’s going to translate like that.”
The beat remained steady Tuesday night against first-place West Michigan in the Dragons’ first game at Day Air Ballpark since May 11. They had 11 hits. Leo Balcazar hit a two-run homer in the first inning. Carlos Jorge hit a three-run homer in the third inning. John Michael Faile hit a two-run homer in the fourth.
“The minor leagues is supposed to be a grind, it’s supposed to be a learning experience,” Harrison Jr. said. “But credit to the group. Where we were a month ago, we weren’t even close to this.”
But even another good offensive night, an output that should be enough to win, can humble a team and temper enthusiasm. The Dragons have experienced their share this season of gained and lost momentum.
The Whitecaps struck first with a three-run homer in the first inning. And after falling behind 7-4, the Whitecaps crested in the fifth inning with six runs and rode that wave to a 12-7 victory.
The hard part for the Dragons to take is how they lost the lead. On a night when five pitchers combined to walk 10 Whitecaps, the most costly ones happened in the fifth.
“You take away one inning, you feel really good about tonight,” Harrison Jr. said.
But it happened, and here’s how.
Graham Osman relieved starter Nestor Lorant with a 7-4 lead to protect. But Osman’s nightmare went like this: walk, walk, single, run walked in, two-run double, score tied 7-7. Carson Rudd was next on the mound and allowed a two-run double, both runs charged to Osman, and the Whitecaps led 9-7.
When the inning ended the Dragons trailed 10-7. Allowing the big inning has led to too many losses this season.
“We have to be prepared for adversity every day,” Harrison said. “We can either accept the challenge or we can run away from it. Our guys are responding to the challenge, but we have to respond for nine innings, not just for part of the game.”
The Whitecaps added two more runs in the sixth with the aid of two more walks. And the Dragons’ bats fell silent.
The Whitecaps (31-15) own a 7-3 record against the Dragons this season. They have a top of the lineup in prospects Max Clark, Kevin McGonigle and Josue Briceno that might be the best trio in the league.
The Dragons (17-29) counter with Luke Hayden (1-0, 1.85 ERA), their best starter in Wednesday’s game. Following this series, the Dragons host second-place Lansing with a top of the lineup similar to West Michigan.
But Harrison Jr. will continue to push his relatively young team toward playing the full nine innings it takes to compete with the league leaders.
Like Harrison said: “You take away one inning and and you feel really good about tonight.”
He just doesn’t want to say that again.
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