Dragons fall to Whitecaps in series finale

The Dayton Dragons played their home opener on Tuesday, Apr. 11, 2023 at Day Air Ballpark in downtown Dayton to a sellout crowd of 8,135, extending the team’s streak to 1,442 games, an all-time record for professional sports franchises. The Dragons lost to the Great Lakes Loons 9-7. Did we spot you there? TOM GILLIAM/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

The Dayton Dragons played their home opener on Tuesday, Apr. 11, 2023 at Day Air Ballpark in downtown Dayton to a sellout crowd of 8,135, extending the team’s streak to 1,442 games, an all-time record for professional sports franchises. The Dragons lost to the Great Lakes Loons 9-7. Did we spot you there? TOM GILLIAM/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Sports
By Staff Report
July 3, 2023
X

The West Michigan Whitecaps battled back from a 4-0 deficit, scoring two runs in the seventh inning to tie and one more in the eighth to take the lead as they went on to defeat the Dayton Dragons 5-4 on Sunday night. The two clubs split the six-game series.

Dayton jumped out to an early lead.

Jack Rogers hit the second pitch of the game for a home run to center field, his fifth homer of the year. In the second inning, the Dragons added two more runs. Austin Hendrick singled to start the inning and scored from first base on a double by Austin Callahan. Callahan eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0. Hendrick launched a long home run to right in the third, his fifth homer of the year and second of the series, to make it 4-0.

Dragons starting pitcher Jose Acuña did not allow a run until the fifth inning and left the game with a 4-1 lead. In his five innings, he allowed five hits and one run with two walks and seven strikeouts.

The Whitecaps scored one run in the sixth to make it 4-2 and then tied the game in the seventh on a two-run home run by Eliezer Alfonzo. In the eighth, West Michigan put together a two-out rally when Jace Jung walked and scored from first on a double by Brady Allen to make it 5-4. The Dragons were retired in order in the ninth.

The Dragons finished the night with seven hits. Hendrick was 3 for 4 with a home run, stolen base, and two runs scored.

The Dragons (6-3) remain in first place in the Midwest League’s East Division.They lead secondplace Fort Wayne by a half game. West Michigan is one game back.

TUESDAY’S GAME

Great Lakes at Dayton, 7:05 p.m., 980

In Other News
1
Dayton vs. Marquette: History of the series
2
Joe Burrow on Tee Higgins: ‘He is a need’
3
Which area high school grads are in the college football transfer...
4
Where have all the deer camps gone?
5
High school football: Division I All-Ohio team announced

About the Author

Staff Report