Spillane, Siani lead Dragons past South Bend

Right fielder Bren Spillane connects for a hit during a game in 2019.

Right fielder Bren Spillane connects for a hit during a game in 2019.

Bren Spillane drove in three runs and Michael Siani reached base four times to lead the Dayton Dragons to a 5-2 victory over the South Bend Cubs on Thursday night. The Dragons have won two of the first three games in the six-game series.

Spillane and Miguel Hernandez both delivered two-run singles in the inning to put the Dragons in front, 4-0.

South Bend scored one run in the bottom of the first and another in the fourth to cut the Dayton lead to 4-2.  The Dragons added a run in the seventh when Spillane singled to left with the bases loaded to bring in Quincy McAfee to make it 5-2.

The victory was credited to the second Dayton pitcher of the night, Jacques Pucheu (1-0), who tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Eddy Demurias recorded the final five outs to earn his second save.  The Dragons bullpen trio of Pucheu, Braxton Roxby, and Demurias combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings.

Spillane, Siani, and McAfee each had two hits for Dayton. Brian Rey was 1 for 5 to extend his hitting streak to 13 straight games (every game Rey has played in this season).

The win lifted the Dragons (10-5) back into a first-place tie with Lake County, who lost to Great Lakes on Thursday night.