Dragons top TinCaps for third straight win

Dayton Dragons manager Luis Bolivar knew it was a matter of time.

It would’ve been nice to have been sooner rather than later, but his squad seems to be getting on a little bit of a roll.

The Dragons won their third straight game Thursday night, beating Fort Wayne 7-2 at Fifth Third Field.

“They are seeing the success,” Bolivar said. “They are building more confidence with it and when it grows, everyone gets together and it gets contagious.

“I’m glad it happened. They learn from it, learn from the experience. It happens sooner or later.”

The Dragons got RBI doubles from Matt Lloyd and Miguel Hernandez in the second inning after starter Eduardo Salazar had worked out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the inning.

Salazar allowed three hits and two walks while striking out three in four innings of work.

“He has done a very nice job since we moved him into the starting rotation,” Bolivar said. “He has developed well. He kept his confidence in the second and made good pitches. It is great to see where he is from where he started at in the beginning of the season.”

The Dragons used small ball in the fifth to push the lead to 3-0.

A Miles Gordon sacrifice bunt moved Cameron Warren to third before he scored on a sacrifice fly by Michael Siani.

The Dragons had used the sacrifice bunt to help manufacture four runs in Wednesday’s win.

“It is a nice job by the guys concentrating on playing small ball.” Bolivar said. “They get a lot of credit because they have been working hard on it and it helps manufacture runs.

“We are here to help them develop and for them to learn and they are learning how to execute it and it helps them now and will help them in the future.”

Dayton broke the game open in the eighth after Fort Wayne had scored a pair on a two-run homer in the sixth inning.

Juan Martinez, Warren and Hernandez all had run-scoring singles as the Dragons sent nine batters nine to the plate.

“They are taking a good approach to things,” Bolivar said. “They are not trying to do too much with it. They just keep moving the line up and everyone is contributing.”

The Dragons and TinCaps wrap up the series tonight at Fifth Third Field. Dayton travels to Lake County to open a four-game series at 7 p.m. Saturday.


SATURDAY’S GAME

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

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