Nelson cracks two HRs, Dragons rout Whitecaps

The Dayton Dragons played their home opener on Tuesday, Apr. 11, 2023 at Day Air Ballpark in downtown Dayton to a sellout crowd of 8,135, extending the team’s streak to 1,442 games, an all-time record for professional sports franchises. The Dragons lost to the Great Lakes Loons 9-7. Did we spot you there? TOM GILLIAM/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

The Dayton Dragons played their home opener on Tuesday, Apr. 11, 2023 at Day Air Ballpark in downtown Dayton to a sellout crowd of 8,135, extending the team’s streak to 1,442 games, an all-time record for professional sports franchises. The Dragons lost to the Great Lakes Loons 9-7. Did we spot you there? TOM GILLIAM/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Sports
By Staff Report
June 5, 2023
X

Mat Nelson hit two home runs, Edwin Arroyo also homered, and the Dayton Dragons collected a season-high 17 hits as they defeated the West Michigan Whitecaps 12-5 on Sunday afternoon.

The Dragons (26-25) won four-of-six games in the series and are 9-2 over their last 11 games. They jumped above the .500 mark for the first time in 2023.

The Dragons trailed 3-0 before they exploded for six runs in the fourth inning, sending 11 batters to the plate. Arroyo got the Dragons scoring started with a two-run home run, his fifth. Three batters later, Nelson hit a two-run homer to give the Dragons a 4-3 lead. Michael Trautwein and Blake Dunn added run-scoring singles later in the inning to build the lead to 6-3.

In the fifth, Nelson hit his second two-run homer to make it 8-3. The home run, Nelson’s ninth of the season, moved him into a tie for the league lead in homers.

The Dragons tacked on four more runs in the sixth. Justice Thompson had a two-run single in the inning, Austin Hendrick added an RBI single, and another run scored on a bases loaded walk.

Dayton starting pitcher Thomas Farr (1-2) earned the victory, working six innings and allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.

Nelson and Thompson both collected three hits. All nine Dragons starters had at least one hit.

TUESDAY’S GAME

Cedar Rapids at Dayton, 7:05 p.m., 980

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