Dragons Lose in 10 Innings at West Michigan

West Michigan 4, Dragons 3 (10 innings)

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Grand Rapids, Mich.-Joey Pankake's one-out single to left field brought in Mike Gerber from second base with the winning run in the 10th inning as the West Michigan Whitecaps capped off a comeback and defeated the Dayton Dragons 4-3 on Monday afternoon. The Whitecaps won three-of-four in the series with the Dragons, moving into a tie with the Dragons in the process. Both clubs are 23-22.

The Dragons led the Whitecaps 3-1 before West Michigan scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, eventually sending the game to extra innings.

The game-winning rally against Dragons reliever Brian Hunter (3-2) began when Gerber drilled a double to the right field fence with one out in the bottom of the 10th. Pankake followed with a base hit just beyond the glove of Dayton shortstop Luis Gonzalez to end the game.  

West Michigan scored an unearned run in the first inning to jump out to an early lead before the Dragons scored single runs in the second, third, and fourth innings to lead 3-1. Run-scoring singles by Jimmy Pickens, Luis Gonzalez, and Avain Rachal gave the Dragons a two-run lead.

The Dragons had nine hits over the first five innings but collected only one hit over the final five frames without advancing a runner past first base. Still, they led 3-1 going to the bottom of the eighth and maintained control of the game.

Dragons starting pitcher Tejay Antone was exceptional. He worked six innings, allowing four hits and one unearned run with no walks and two strikeouts as his earned run average fell to 1.73. Jake Ehret replaced Antone and pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

In the West Michigan eighth, Ehret issued a one-out walk to Will Kengor before Gerber followed with a base hit to move Kengor to second. Ehret got Pankake to line out to right field for the second out of the inning. But Ehret walked Francisco Contreras, a .133 hitter, to load the bases and allow the inning to continue. Hunter replaced Ehret, entering the game to face Shane Zeile with two outs, three men on base, and Dayton still leading 3-1. Zeile hit a ground ball to the right of Gonzalez, the Dayton shortstop. Gonzalez made a back-handed stop of the ball and his only play was at third. But as Dragons third baseman Gavin LaValley back-pedaled in an effort to receive the throw on the move from Gonzalez and touch third base, Gonzalez's hard, short throw was behind the third baseman and glanced off LaValley as he reached back for the ball, allowing two runs to score as West Michigan tied the game, 3-3, setting the stage for the 10th inning walk-off hit by Pankake.  

Gonzalez went 4 for 5 to lead the Dayton attack. No other player had more than one hit. Paul Kronenfeld had a double for the only Dragons extra base hit. 

Gerber, the league's leading hitter, went 4 for 5 for West Michigan to raise his average to .376. In 13 games against the Dragons this season, Gerber is batting .522, collecting 24 hits in 46 at-bats.

The Dragons fell to three games out of first place with the loss with 25 games to play in the first half race.

The Dragons return home to open a three-game series with the South Bend Cubs on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Field. The game will mark the start of a seven-game homestand for the Dragons. Seth Varner (4-3, 3.45) will start for Dayton against South Bend's Zach Hedges (2-3, 4.62).

All Dragons games are broadcast on radio on Fox Sports 980 WONE and on the internet at wone.com. Games are also available on the Dayton Dragons mobile app.