Lugnuts Top Dragons 15-7 on Sunday as Teams Combine for Six Home Runs

LANSING 15, DRAGONS 7

Click here for the box score

Lansing (R-H-E): 15-14-0; Dayton (R-H-E): 7-13-4

Win: Jack Mahoney (1-0); Loss: Jonah Hurney (0-2); Save: None

HR: Dayton: Yerlin Confidan (1^st, 1 on base in third inning); Carter Graham (2^nd, 1 on base in fourth inning); Ariel Almonte (1st, 0 on base in fourth inning). HR: Lansing: Davis Diaz (2^nd, 0 on base in third inning); Bobby Boser (3^rd, 1 on base in fourth inning); Devin Taylor (4^th, 1 on base in eighth inning).

Lansing, Mich.—The Lansing Lugnuts took advantage of a windy Sunday afternoon, blasting three home runs and scoring runs in each of the first six innings on the way to defeating the Dayton Dragons 15-7 to win the deciding game of the seven-game series in Lansing.

The Dragons hit three home runs of their own and got a huge performance from Carter Graham, who collected four hits including a homer and two doubles, but they could not slow down the Lansing offense.

Game Recap: Lansing scored three runs in the first inning, knocking Dayton starting pitcher Reynardo Cruz out of the game with two outs in the frame to force the Dragons bullpen into a long afternoon.

The Dragons started back in the top of the second when Graham doubled off the center field fence to drive in Yerlin Confidan to make it 3-1, but Lansing responded with a run in the bottom of the second to again lead by three runs at 4-1.

The Dragons tied the game with three runs in the third keyed by a hard double by Alfredo Duno that registered at 113 mph off the bat, and a long two-run home run by Confidan that was estimated at 422 feet in distance to make it 4-4.

Lansing responded with another run in the bottom of the third to go ahead 5-4, but the Dragons took the lead in the top of the fourth with three runs, getting back-to-back home runs by Graham and Ariel Almonte to put the Dragons in front, 7-5.

But the Dragons could not score again. Meanwhile, Lansing plated three runs in the bottom of the fourth to regain the lead at 8-7, and they added two more in the fifth to go ahead 10-7. The Lugnuts scored three more runs in the sixth and closed out the scoring with two in the eighth.

The Dragons collected 13 hits. Graham was 4 for 4 with a walk to raise his batting average on the day from .254 to .302. Confidan had a home run and double. Duno had two hits including a double.

The Dragons defense struggled in the middle innings as they committed three errors in the fifth inning and another in the sixth leading to five unearned runs.

Up Next: The Dragons (13-14) do not play on Monday. Their 13-game road trip will continue with a six-game series in Grand Rapids, Michigan against the West Michigan Whitecaps (13-14) on Tuesday night at 6:35 pm. J.P. Ortiz (2-1, 5.30) will start for the Dragons.

The next Dragons game at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District is Tuesday, May 12 against the Lake County Captains at 7:05 pm. For ticket information, go to daytondragons.com/tickets or call (937) 228-2287.

On the Air: All Dragons home and road games are broadcast on radio on FOX Sports 980 AM WONE. Games can be heard on smart phones, iPads, and other mobile devices via the free Dragons Mobile App, or on a computer at wone.com. Games are also available on HD Radio on 104.7 WTUI HD 2.