The Dragons established a season high for most hits in an inning when they collected six hits in the first inning, scoring four runs, but Fort Wayne took advantage of two big innings late in the game to win.
The Dragons sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning and knocked the Fort Wayne starting pitcher out of the game. Carlos Jorge and Leo Balcazar opened the game with back-to-back singles, and with one out, Yerlin Confidan added an infield hit to load the bases. Victor Acosta responded with a two-run single to drive in Jorge and Balcazar, and Ricky Cabrera followed with a single to bring in Confidan. John Michael Faile then singled to score Acosta and make it 4-0.
The six hits were the most in any inning for the Dragons this season, and the four runs matched their biggest opening inning of a game so far in 2025.
But Fort Wayne answered with three runs in the bottom of the first and two more in the second to take a 5-4 lead against Dayton starting pitcher Nestor Lorant.
The Dragons regained the lead in the third as Acosta and Cabrera each reached on base hits, and Faile followed with a two-run single to put Dayton in front, 6-5. The score remained unchanged heading to the bottom of the sixth inning.
Fort Wayne produced back-to-back big innings in the sixth and seventh to take command of the game. The TinCaps collected four runs in the sixth, taking advantage of a costly throwing error by Dragons reliever Jonah Hurney that was followed by three consecutive hits as the TinCaps took a 9-6 lead. Fort Wayne added three more runs against Dayton’s Trey Braithwaite in the seventh to close out the scoring.
The Dragons had 10 hits in the game, matching their season high. Cabrera snapped a 1 for 25 slump by going 3 for 4 with an RBI. Faile had two hits and drove in three runs as he extended his hitting streak to 11 straight games.
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