The Dragons scored three runs in the top of the first inning to take an early lead, getting a run-scoring triple from Yerlin Confidan and an RBI single by Victor Acosta in the inning. The Dragons added another run in the second on Confidan’s run-scoring single to jump ahead 4-0.
Quad Cities cut the Dragons lead to 4-2 with single runs in the second and fourth innings, but the Dragons rebuilt their lead over the middle innings. In the sixth, John Michael Faile delivered a hit to center field to bring in Myles Smith from third to give the Dragons a 6-2 lead.
The Dayton bullpen had an excellent four-inning scoreless stretch, beginning when Trey Braithwaite entered the game to start the fifth inning. Braithwaite worked two innings, striking out six and allowing just one hit. Graham Osman replaced Braithwaite to start the seventh inning and retired the first five batters he faced, working scoreless frames over the first two innings of his outing.
Osman returned to the mound in the ninth holding a 6-2 lead. The inning began when Dayton right fielder Ariel Almonte dropped a fly ball for an error, and the next three Quad Cities batters delivered hits to bring in three runs, pulling the River Bandits to within a run at 6-5 with the tying run at first base and no one out.
Osman got a strikeout for the first out of the inning, the last batter he faced before reaching his pitch limit.
Dylan Simmons replaced Osman with the tying run at first and one out. Simmons allowed an infield single and then issued a walk to load the bases before Omar Hernandez followed with a base hit to left field that brought in two runs and gave Quad Cities a 7-6 win.
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