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Dragons Erase 3-Run Deficit, Top West Michigan 7-5 on Friday Night

June 2, 2023

Dragons 7, West Michigan 5 Click here for the box score Dayton (R-H-E): 7-12-2;West Michigan (R-H-E): 5-7-0 Win: Myles Gayman (3-1); Loss: Dario Gardea (0-1); Save: Jake Gozzo (4) HR: Dayton: None HR: West Michigan: Justice Bigbie (6th, 2 on base in first inning). Dayton, Ohio—The Dayton Dragons erased a

Dragons 7, West Michigan 5

Click here for the box score

Dayton (R-H-E): 7-12-2;West Michigan (R-H-E): 5-7-0

Win: Myles Gayman (3-1); Loss: Dario Gardea (0-1); Save: Jake Gozzo (4)

HR: Dayton: None HR: West Michigan: Justice Bigbie (6th, 2 on base in first inning).

Dayton, Ohio—The Dayton Dragons erased a three-run deficit, keyed by a four-run seventh inning, on the way to a 7-5 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Friday night. The two clubs have split the first four games of the series.

A crowd of 7,559 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.

West Michigan scored three runs in the top of the first inning to take a commanding lead early, and they led 5-2 going to the bottom of the sixth inning. But the Dragons scored one run in the sixth and then exploded for four in the seventh to take the lead. Jake Gozzo tossed scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth for the Dragons to earn the save.

Trailing 3-0 in the third, the Dragons put together a two-out rally to start their comeback. Blake Dunn singled and scored from first on Austin Callahan’s double to make it 3-1. Edwin Arroyo followed with a single to center to drive in Callahan and make it 3-2. West Michigan responded with single runs in the fourth and sixth to lead 5-2.

In the Dayton half of the sixth, Arroyo led off with a double to right and eventually scored on Austin Hendrick’s ground out to make it 5-3.

In the seventh, Michael Trautwein opened the frame with a hustling double to center field, and Trautwein scored when Justice Thompson doubled off the glove of the left fielder to make it 5-4. With one out, the Dragons took advantage of the biggest play of the game. With Thompson running on the pitch, Callahan hit a liner toward center field that looked like it would be caught for an inning-ending double play, but the West Michigan outfielder sprinted too far in and the ball sailed over his head to the fence, allowing Thompson to score and Callahan to get to third, tying the score. Arroyo then singled to center to drive in Callahan and give the Dragons a 6-5 lead. Arroyo stole second and scored on a two-out single to left by Tyler Callihan to close out the scoring.

View the RBI triple by Austin Callahan here: https://twitter.com/DragonsBaseball/status/1664807057160110080?s=20

Myles Gayman (3-1), the second of three Dayton pitchers, earned the win, working two innings and allowing one run. Gozzo struck out four over the final two innings and got a double play grounder with the tying runs on base to end the game and earn his fourth save.

View the game-ending double play here: https://twitter.com/DragonsBaseball/status/1664811706353176578?s=20

The Dragons finished with 12 hits for the second straight night. Arroyo was 3 for 4 with a double, two singles, and two RBI. Austin Callahan had a double, triple, and two RBI. Tyler Callihan had two hits including a double with one RBI. Blake Dunn also had two hits and scored a run. The Dragons had five doubles and a triple as a team.

Up Next: The Dragons (24-25) will host West Michigan (28-21) in the fifth game of the six-game series on Saturday at 7:10 p.m. at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. Jose Acuña (3-0, 2.41) is scheduled to start for Dayton. For ticket information, go to daytondragons.com/tickets or call (937) 228-2287.

On the Air: Dragons games Saturday and Sunday will be televised locally 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.