Bragg was fill-in manager Friday for Jose Moreno, who was serving a one-game suspension related to an ejection at Fort Wayne on Saturday. Bragg also coached third base instead of his customary first base, but the view wasn’t any better. He watched the Dragons strike out a stadium-record 20 times and tie the club record in an 8-5 loss to Lake County.
“I explained to the hitters, ‘Hey, this guy’s going to be a big-leaguer,’” Bragg said. “We were actually happy we got five runs on those three guys. They’ve got good stuff.”
Those guys started with 2019 first-round draft pick Daniel Espino, who is rated as high as the Cleveland Indians’ No. 2 prospect and was in high school two years ago. In his third start since being promoted from Low-A Lynchburg, Espino pitched four innings and struck out 12.
“He was a pretty good arm,” said Dragons’ second baseman Francisco Urbaez, who is second in the High A Central League with a .340 batting average. “We tried to make our adjustments, we tried our best. Sometimes you’ve got to give them credit, and that guy has really good stuff.”
Next was 6-foot-5 lefty Tim Herrin. He only struck out two and allowed two runs in three innings. But when the Dragons needed to rally in the final two innings, they had to face right-hander Jerson Ramirez, who did his best Espino impersonation with six strikeouts.
The Dragons broke through for three runs in the third inning against Espino, and it could have been more. After Eric Yang and Reyny Reyes singled to the opposite field, Jacob Hurtubise ripped a line drive into the right-field corner.
The entire stadium – Captains included – thought the ball was fair, thought Hurtubise had a triple and thought two runs had scored. But the home plate umpire said the ball was foul even though white chalk flew in the air. Hurtubise then struck out on a foul tip into the catcher’s mitt.
Francisco Urbaez followed with an RBI single, and with two outs Juan Martinez tripled in two runs for a 3-2 Dragons lead.
Hurtubise manufactured a run in fifth for a 4-2 lead. He led off and reached base on catcher’s interference. He stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Garrett Wolforth’s ground out.
But walks continued to plague Dayton pitchers until it all fell apart for Tyler Garbee (1-2) in seventh. He walked three batters, including one with the bases loaded, and gave up a three-run double to Micah Pries that vaulted the Captains to a 6-4 lead. The Dragons got a run back in the seventh, but the Captains pushed the lead to three with two runs in the ninth.
In all, Dragons pitchers Jacques Pucheu, Garbee and Pedro Garcia walked nine, hit one and five of them scored.
“Walks usually hurt you and they hurt us tonight,” Bragg said. “These guys are working to get better. It was just an off night.”
Feliz rehab: Reds reliever Michael Feliz made a second injury rehab appearance Friday. He pitched a scoreless sixth inning and struck out two. He started Tuesday’s game and allowed four runs, including a three-run homer, in the first inning.
Hellinger returns: Right-handed reliever Sam Hellinger is back with the Dragons after a short stint at Low-A Daytona. In six games at Daytona, Hellinger had a 1.62 ERA with two saves and held opponents to a .123 batting average. Hellinger, signed by the Reds as a minor-league free agent in 2020, began the season in Dayton and had a 7.00 ERA in 13 appearances.
SUNDAY’S GAME
Lake County at Dayton, 2:05 p.m., Dayton CW, 980
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