Stovall’s RBI single in 10th inning Gives Dragons walk-off win over Peoria

The win gave the Dragons their first four-game winning streak of the year. They won the first three games of the six-game series with Peoria.

The game evolved as a classic pitcher’s duel featuring Dragons starter Jose Montero and hard-throwing Peoria starter Chen-Wei Lin, who reached 99 mph with his fastball in the game.

The Dragons scored the first run of the night before they had a base hit. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Peyton Stovall walked with one out, stole second, went to third on a ground out, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0.

Meanwhile, Montero worked into the sixth inning without allowing a run in what may have been his best start of the season. He reached his pitch limit (86 pitches) and left the game with one out in the sixth inning and the bases empty, still leading 1-0. Montero allowed two hits with one walk and five strikeouts.

The Chiefs tied the game in the top of the seventh on a lead-off home run by Jesus Baez off Dragons reliever Jimmy Romano to make it 1-1.

Reds reliever Tejay Antone made his fourth rehab appearance with the Dragons as he makes his way back from his third Tommy John elbow surgery. Antone pitched a scoreless top of the ninth inning, allowing only a one-out single. He had one strikeout.

The Dragons nearly won the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. Anthony Stephan walked to start the inning and advanced to third on a one-out single to right by Ryan McCrystal. With one out, Myles Smith lifted a fly ball to left field that was caught by Peoria’s Andrew Sojka as Stephan tagged at third and tried to score. But Sojka’s throw to the plate was perfect and Stephan was tagged out to send the game to extra innings.

Dayton reliever Brody Jessee entered the game to pitch the 10th inning with the free runner at second base. After an infield ground out advanced the runner to third, Jessee got out of the inning on a short fly ball to right field that did not advance the runner and a ground out to shortstop.

In the bottom of the 10th, with Smith at second as the free runner, Yerlin Confidan flied to center with Smith holding at second, and Carlos Jorge grounded out to first base to move Smith to third with two outs. Stovall then looped a fly ball to shallow left field. The Peoria shortstop, sprinting out, came closest to making the catch but could not reach the ball. It fell in front of the left field as Smith scored to end the game.

The Dragons finished the night with six hits. Stovall and McCrystal each had two.