Dragons lose to South Bend, fall to second place

Dayton Dragons third baseman Juan Martinez fields a bunt during their game against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in 2019. Martinez homered Sunday in the Dragons' loss to South Bend. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY MICHAEL COOPER

Dayton Dragons third baseman Juan Martinez fields a bunt during their game against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in 2019. Martinez homered Sunday in the Dragons' loss to South Bend. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY MICHAEL COOPER

The South Bend Cubs broke a 3-3 tie with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and then held off a Dayton comeback bid in the ninth to defeat the Dragons 5-4. The Cubs won four of six games in the series.

Trailing 5-3 in the ninth, Dragons got a lead-off double from Francisco Urbaez in the top of the ninth and then a run-scoring single from Jacob Hurtubise to make it 5-4, with the speedy Hurtubise at first base representing the tying run with no one out.

But Hurtubise, who has nine stolen bases in 15 games including two earlier in Sunday’s game, was thrown out trying to steal for just the second time this season. Quincy McAfee walked to put the tying run back on base, but Quin Cotton lined out to second and Juan Martinez struck out to end the game.

The Dragons opened the scoring with a two-run home run by Martinez in the top of the third, but they fell behind 3-2 in the bottom of the third.

In the eighth, McAfee walked, went to second on a single by Martinez, and scored on a base hit by Alex McGarry to make it 3-3 before South Bend regained the lead.

Martinez had two singles to go with his home run. Hurtubise had two hits and two stolen bases. McGarry had two hits and an RBI.

With the loss, the Dragons (10-8) fell into second place in the East Division, one game behind Lake County.

The Dragons return home to open a six-game series against the Quad Cities River Bandits (Kansas City Royals affiliate) on Tuesday at Day Air Ballpark.

TUESDAY’S GAME

Quad Cities at Dayton, 7:05 p.m., 980