Dragons hammer Whitecaps to split series

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

Austin Hendrick, Michael Trautwein and Mat Nelson hit home runs and three Dayton pitchers combined on a four-hitter as the Dragons defeated the West Michigan Whitecaps 8-2 on Sunday afternoon to split the six-game series.

The Dragons made it 1-0 in the first when Hendrick blasted a solo home run to right field, his first of the season. After West Michigan scored two runs in the second, the Dragons responded with two runs in the third to regain the lead. Austin Callahan’s two-out, two-run double brought in Edwin Arroyo and Blake Dunn to make it 3-2.

The Dragons added three more runs in the fourth. With one out, Trautwein drilled a home run to right field, his second in the last two games, to make it 4-2. Justice Thompson followed with an infield single, and Thompson scored when Jack Rogers tripled to right field to make it 5-2. Rogers eventually scored on a balk to make it a three-run inning.

In the fifth, Austin Callahan led off with a single, and Nelson followed with a two-run home run to right, his team-leading third homer of the year to make it 8-2.

Dragons starting pitcher Jose Acuna allowed two hits, two runs, with one walk and five strikeouts in five innings.

The Dragons finished with 11 hits, matching their season high. Arroyo, Thompson, and Austin Callahan each had two hits.

Dayton (6-9) is off Monday and returns home on Tuesdya night to host Lake County at Day Air Ballpark.

TUESDAY’S GAME

Lake County at Dayton, 7:05 p.m., 980

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