Dayton added two more runs in the sixth as Elly De La Cruz led off with a triple and scored on Allan Cerda’s double. Cerda scored on a two-out wild pitch.
Dragons reliever Manuel Cachutt (1-0) pitched three scoreless frames in relief of Boyle, allowing an infield single in the seventh that turned out to be West Michigan’s only hit of the game. Myles Gayman replaced Cachutt and pitched a perfect eighth inning.
Nick Hanson entered the game to pitch for Dayton to start the ninth inning and issued a lead-off walk followed by a hit batsman. After a fly out to deep center field, West Michigan’s Colt Keith reached on an error by Dayton second baseman Jose Torres as a run scored to make it 3-1. Hanson then gave up his second walk of the inning to load the bases with one out. Austin Murr was retired for the second out of the inning on a sacrifice fly that brought in the Whitecaps second run, and Hanson got a ground out to first base to end the game and earn his first save.
De La Cruz had three hits, including a single, double, and triple.
WEDNESDAY’S GAME
West Michigan at Dayton, 7:05 p.m., 980