Dragons Hold Off Cubs, Win 4-2 on Thursday Night

Dragons 4, South Bend 2

Click here for the box score

Dayton (R-H-E): 4-10-2; South Bend (R-H-E): 2-5-2

Win: Brooks Crawford (3-1); Loss: Tyler Santana (2-6); Save: Vin Timpanelli (2)

HR: Dayton: None HR: South Bend: None

South Bend, Ind.—Dayton pitchers Javi Rivera, Brooks Crawford, and Vin Timpanelli combined to allow just five hits and Tyler Callihan led a well-balanced 10-hit attack as the Dragons defeated the South Bend Cubs 4-2 on Thursday night in South Bend. The Dragons have won the last two games in the series and have allowed only six runs in the three games in the set.

The game was tied 2-2 when Callihan delivered a one-out triple to the right field corner in the top of the eighth inning to start a scoring rally. With the infield in, Austin Callahan hit a hard bouncer over the head of the first baseman, all the way to the right field corner. Tyler Callihan scored easily and Austin Callahan raced to third with a triple to make it 3-2.

In the top of the ninth, the Dragons scored an insurance run when Blake Dunn’s infield single with two outs brought in Mat Nelson from third to make it 4-2. Nelson had reached on an error earlier in the inning.

South Bend made some noise in the bottom of the ninth, taking advantage of an error and a hit batsman to put the tying runs on base with one out. But Dragons first baseman Ruben Ibarra made a nice play on a hard grounder to get the second out, and with runners at second and third, Timpanelli struck out South Bend’s cleanup hitter, Bryce Ball, on an attempted check swing to end the game.

The Dragons had initially jumped out to a 2-0 lead. In the second inning, Ibarra singled hard to left-center and eventually scored on Edwin Arroyo’s single to left. In the third, Justice Thompson tripled and scored on Tyler Callihan’s RBI grounder off the glove of the first baseman. South Bend scored one run in the bottom of the third and then tied the game in the seventh before the Dragons regained the lead in the eighth.

Rivera started the game for the Dragons and worked five innings, allowing one run on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Crawford (3-1) allowed the tying run to score in the seventh but was credited with the win. He tossed two innings, allowing two hits and one run with three walks and three strikeouts. Timpanelli picked up his second save with two scoreless innings. He did not give up a hit or a walk and struck out two.

The Dragons 10-hit attack was led by Tyler Callihan, who had a single, triple, and run scored. Blake Dunn had two singles and a run batted in. Thompson and Austin Callahan each had triples.

Notes: The Dragons collected three triples after not having more than one in any previous game this season. Two of the three-base hits came on back-to-back pitches in the eighth inning.

Up Next: The Dragons (19-23) will battle the Cubs (23-19) in the fourth game of the six-game series at Four Winds Field in South Bend on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Julian Aguiar (2-0, 1.62), the Midwest League leader in earned run average, is scheduled to start for Dayton.

The Dragons will return home to host the West Michigan Whitecaps on Tuesday, May 30 at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. 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.