Dragons Hold Off Hot Rods to Win, 5-4

Dragons 5, Bowling Green 4
Dayton (R-H-E): 5-7-2
Bowling Green (R-H-E): 4-6-1
Win: Andrew Jordan (1-0)
Loss: Tyler Zombro (5-1)
Save: Cory Thompson (3)
HR: Dayton: Stuart Fairchild (4th, 1 on base in seventh inning).
HR: Bowling Green: None
Bowling Green, Ky.-Dayton starting pitcher Andrew Jordan allowed just one run over six innings and reliever Cory Thompson got the final four outs for the save as the Dragons held off a Bowling Green comeback effort to defeat the Hot Rods 5-4. The win trimmed the Dragons deficit in the wildcard race to three and one-half games with 22 games to play in the first half race. The Dragons have won seven of their last eight games.
Jordan (1-0) gave up just two hits, one walk, and one unearned run in six innings while striking out five to earn the win. Thompson entered the game with two outs and the tying run at third base in the eighth inning and worked out of the jam before pitching a scoreless ninth for his third save.
The Dragons built a 5-1 lead before Bowling Green came back with two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to pull within a run.
The Dragons broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth inning with three runs. Jose Garcia opened the inning with a double off the left-center field fence and scored on a one-out single by Miles Gordon. Michael Beltre was hit by a pitch, and a wild pick-off throw advanced Gordon to third with Beltre going to second. Montrell Marshall then singled to right to drive in both runners and make it 3-0.
After Bowling Green scored an unearned run in the sixth, the Dragons added two in the seventh. After Michael Beltre doubled, Stuart Fairchild connected on a two-run home run, his fourth homer of the year, to make it 5-1. Three Dayton relievers combined to go the rest of the way.
The Dragons collected seven hits by seven different players. In addition to Fairchild's home run, Garcia, Beltre, and Jeter Downs each had doubles.
In the Standings: The Dragons are 25-21, in fourth place, five games behind first place Lansing and three and one-half games behind Bowling Green, the wildcard leader, in the Midwest League East Division.   
Up Next: The Dragons play at Bowling Green in the second game of the series on Saturday night at 7:35 p.m. (EDT). Adrian Rodriguez (2-0, 4.82) will start for Dayton against Bowling Green's Drew Strotman (3-0, 3.43).
The next Dragons home game is Tuesday, May 29 against the West Michigan Whitecaps at 7:00 p.m.
Game Broadcast: 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.
For Dragons 2018 ticket information, call (937) 228-2287.

In the Standings: The Dragons are 25-21, in fourth place, five games behind first place Lansing and three and one-half games behind Bowling Green, the wildcard leader, in the Midwest League East Division.   
Up Next: The Dragons play at Bowling Green in the second game of the series on Saturday night at 7:35 p.m. (EDT). Adrian Rodriguez (2-0, 4.82) will start for Dayton against Bowling Green's Drew Strotman (3-0, 3.43).
The next Dragons home game is Tuesday, May 29 against the West Michigan Whitecaps at 7:00 p.m.
Game Broadcast: 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.
For Dragons 2018 ticket information, call (937) 228-2287.
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