Chiefs Break Open Close Game with Big 9th Inning, Top Dragons on Saturday
Peoria 9, Dragons 2 Click here for the box score Peoria (R-H-E): 9-8-1; Dayton (R-H-E): 2-5-1 Win: Austin Love (6-10); Loss: Chase Petty (0-2); Save: None HR: Dayton: Jose Torres (11th, 0 on base in first inning); Austin Hendrick (9th, 0 on base in seventh inning). HR: Peoria: Aaron McKeithan
Peoria 9, Dragons 2
Click here for the box score
Peoria (R-H-E): 9-8-1; Dayton (R-H-E): 2-5-1
Win: Austin Love (6-10); Loss: Chase Petty (0-2); Save: None
HR: Dayton: Jose Torres (11th, 0 on base in first inning); Austin Hendrick (9th, 0 on base in seventh inning). HR: Peoria: Aaron McKeithan (1st, 1 on base in fourth inning).
Dayton, Ohio—The Peoria Chiefs scored six runs in the top of the ninth inning to break open a one-run game as they defeated the Dayton Dragons 9-2 on Saturday night. The Chiefs have won three-of-five games so far in the series that will conclude on Sunday.
A crowd of 7,846 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.
The loss dropped the Dragons to 11-22 in the second half (50-49 overall). Peoria improved to 16-19 in the second half (44-57 overall).
Game Recap: Dayton’s Jose Torres hit a solo home run in the first inning to give the Dragons a quick lead, but Peoria responded by scoring one run in the third and two more in the fourth to jump ahead 3-1.
The Dragons cut the deficit to one run in the seventh inning when Austin Hendrick blasted a home run off the batter’s eye in center field to make it 3-2. The homer by Hendrick was his ninth with the Dragons and 16th overall in the Reds system in 2022.
The Dragons threatened to tie or take the lead in the eighth inning. Michael Trautwein reached on an error to start the inning and with one out, Torres lined a single to center to move Trautwein to second. But Tyler Callihan struck out and Noelvi Marte grounded out on a hard one-hopper to first base to end the threat.
The Chiefs sent nine batters to the plate in the ninth inning, collecting four hits and six runs to extend their lead to 9-2 and close out the scoring.
Dragons starting pitcher Chase Petty (0-2) was dominant over the first two innings, retiring all six batters he faced with two strikeouts and only one ball leaving the infield. He remained in the game for five innings, allowing three runs on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts to suffer the loss.
Reliever Jean Correa replaced Petty and pitched well in his Dragons debut. Correa worked two scoreless innings, allowing no hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
James Marinan pitched a perfect eighth inning but ran into trouble in the ninth, when he was unable to record an out. Marinan allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits with one walk in the inning. Frainger Aranguren worked an inning, allowing one hit and one run.
The Dragons had only five hits. Torres was 2 for 4 with his 11th home run of the season. Steven Leyton had a double.
Up Next: The Dragons and Chiefs close out the six-game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. Steve Hajjar, recently acquired in the trade that sent former Dragon Tyler Mahle to the Minnesota Twins, will make his first the Cincinnati Reds organization as the Dragons starting pitcher.
For ticket information, go daytondragons.com/tickets or call (937) 228-2287.
On the Air: Sunday’s game will be televised on Dayton’s CW (Channel 26; Spectrum Cable channels 13 and 1013). 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.