Dayton scored four runs in the third inning to take the lead. Nelson opened the inning with a long home run to left field. With one out, Edwin Arroyo doubled, and one batter later, Hunter blasted a two-run home run to right, his fourth home run with the Dragons and 14th of the year (he hit 10 with Daytona). Jack Rogers then reached on an error and Ruben Ibarra drove him in from first base with a double to the fence in left-center field to make it 4-0.
In the seventh, the Dragons pulled away with two more runs. Hunter doubled high off the fence in left to drive in Sal Stewart from first, and Ibarra singled to left to bring in Hunter and make it 6-0. Nelson belted his second home run of the game in the eighth, a solo shot to left to make it 7-0. That home run was Nelson’s 18th of the year and moved him into a tie for the Midwest League lead.
Fort Wayne avoided the shutout with a run in the ninth.
Dragons starting pitcher Chase Petty reached his innings limit after four scoreless frames. Petty allowed three hits and no walks with two strikeouts. Myles Gayman (6-2) followed Petty and tossed three scoreless innings to earn the win. Gayman allowed three hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Dennis Boatman pitched the final two innings, striking out five but allowing one run on two hits with two walks.
Along with Hunter’s three-hit night, Arroyo, Ibarra, and Nelson had two hits for Dayton. Rogers had one hit to extend his hitting streak to 12 straight games, matching the team’s season high.
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