The flip in fortunes began when the Dragons left the bases loaded in the seventh with the score tied. Then the night fell apart in the eighth when Lake County scored five runs to surge to a 10-5 victory Tuesday night at Day Air Ballpark.
The loss was an all-too-familiar affair for the Dragons this season. They led 2-0 on Leo Balcazar’s first-inning home run. They were in the game late. They lost. But manager Vince Harrison Jr., as much as the loss hurt, will gather with his team Wednesday and forge ahead, grinding to find a way to win, not letting one game change his belief in what this team can be.
“Doesn’t change the confidence level — we have to make plays ... period," Harrison Jr. said.
The Dragons (4-6 second half) fell behind 5-2, but they had a good thing going in the seventh with some help from the Captains (4-6). Two walks and John Michael Faile’s line-drive single loaded the bases.
Then the Captains really helped the Dragons. Connor Burns walked to force in the first run. Victor Acosta’s infield single deep in the hole to the shortstop scored the next run. Anthony Stephan walked with the bases still loaded to tie the score 5-5 with one out.
“We did a good job — you saw long ABs in that seventh inning, and we did all that with one out," Harrison Jr. said. “There’s a lot to be proud of how we put ourselves in position to tie the game.”
The Dragons had scored three runs and had the bases loaded with only one ball leaving the infield. They needed one to land in the outfield to get the lead, but Balcazar fouled out to the first baseman, and Carter Graham struck out looking at a curveball.
“We’ve got to make that next step and be able to break that game open,” Harrison Jr. said. “We didn’t do it.”
The Captains took charge in the top of the eighth against Easton Sikorski (2-4), who entered the game with a 1.16 ERA in 18 appearances. And they got an big assist from right fielder Yerlin Confidan. Esteban Gonzalez hit a line drive over Confidan’s head that he got a late jump on and it went for a triple.
Given three bases, the Captains kept taking. Maick Collado’s sacrifice fly broke the tie. Sikorski got a second out on a fly ball. The inning could have been over if not for the triple. And that’s when the Captains busted loose.
“I don’t know what he did wrong,” Harrison Jr. said. “That’s the guy we want in there. He put us in position to get out of it early.”
With two outs, Christian Knapczyk singled, Alfonsin Rosario walked and Ralphy Velazquez hit a three-run homer. Jose Devers later added an RBI double. Sikorski allowed four earned runs and his ERA ballooned to 1.99.
Jose Montero started for Dayton and allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. Dylan Simmons allowed two more runs in 1 2/3 innings. Velazquez was the toughest out with three hits and four RBIs.
After Balcazar’s homer in the first, Lake County starter Josh Hartle allowed only two more hits and struck out 10 in 5 2/3 innings.
The Dragons host the Captains at the regular time of 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday. Thursday’s game is at 5:35. The Dragons play at Lake County Friday through Sunday.
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