Dragons win second straight vs. TinCaps, move closer to first place

Dragons third baseman Victor Ruiz is late with the tag as West Michigan's Eric De La Rosa steals third right after stealing second. He scored the Whitecaps' first run during Friday night's game at Day Air Ballpark. Jeff Gilbert/CONTRIBUTED

Dragons third baseman Victor Ruiz is late with the tag as West Michigan's Eric De La Rosa steals third right after stealing second. He scored the Whitecaps' first run during Friday night's game at Day Air Ballpark. Jeff Gilbert/CONTRIBUTED
Sports
July 26, 2021
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Dayton’s Victor Ruiz had two doubles and drove in three runs as the Dragons defeated the Fort Wayne TinCaps 5-3 on Sunday. The Dragons won the last two games of the six-game set to earn a split of the series and pull to within one-half game of first place.

Dragons starting pitcher Carson Spiers delivered his second strong start in six days in Fort Wayne. After beating the TinCaps on Tuesday with five scoreless innings, Spiers allowed just one run in five innings on Sunday, striking out eight while giving up three hits and one walk. He left the game with a 4-1 lead.

Fort Wayne’s Zack Mathis hit a two-run home run in the seventh to pull the TinCaps to within two, but Dayton reliever Pedro Garcia pitched around two walks in the eighth to toss a scoreless inning and take the lead to the ninth.

Vin Timpanelli, called up Saturday from Daytona where he was leading the Low-A Southeast League in saves, tossed a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning, allowing only a two-out walk, to pick up his first save in the High-A Central League.

First baseman Garrett Wolforth, also called up from Daytona on Saturday, had two hits and drove in a run in the top of the seventh with a two-out single to bring in Michael Siani from third. Wolforth also scored a run.

The Dragons jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Miguel Hernandez singled with one out and Wolforth added a two-out single before Victor Ruiz doubled over the head of the center fielder to drive in two. Alex McGarry followed with a double off the right field fence make it 3-0. Ruiz added a two-out run-scoring double in the fifth.

The Dragons pulled to within one-half game of the first place Great Lakes Loons in the East Division of the High-A Central League. Lake County, the next Dayton opponent, is in third place, two games out of first.

TUESDAY’S GAME

Lake County at Dayton, 7:05 p.m., 980

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