Dragons Overcome 3-0 9th Inning Deficit to Win in Extra Innings

Dragons 6, Lake County 5 (10 innings)

Click here for the box score

Dayton (R-H-E): 6-8-3; Lake County (R-H-E): 5-8-2

Win: John Murphy (2-0); Loss: Jay Driver (1-2); Save: None

HR: Dayton: None HR: Lake County: Maick Collado (2^nd,1 on base in eighth inning): Cooper Ingle (5^th, 1 on base in 10^th inning).

Eastlake, Ohio—The Dayton Dragons rallied back from a 3-0 ninth inning deficit, scoring three runs in the ninth and three more in the 10^th to defeat the Lake County Captains 6-5 on Thursday night.

Key two-run doubles by Jay Allen II in the ninth and Sal Stewart in the 10^th were the big hits before a Fourth of July crowd in Eastlake, Ohio.

The Dragons have won eight of their last 10 games including three of four from Lake County, the first half winner in the East Division.

Game Summary:

The game was scoreless until Lake County broke through with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, taking a 3-0 lead on a night when pitchers seemed to be in command.

But the Dragons produced a big inning in the ninth to get the game into extra innings. The rally began with back-to-back walks to Carlos Jorge and Sal Stewart. Cam Collier struck out on a 3-2 pitch for the first out, but Leo Balcazar followed by drawing a walk to load the bases. Jay Allen II followed with a line drive double down the left field line that drove in both Jorge and Stewart and moved Balcazar to third, pulling the Dragons to within a run at 3-2. After pinch hitter Hector Rodriguez was given an intentional walk to load the bases, and Cade Hunter followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Balcazar and tie the game. After John Murphy pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth inning, the two teams went to extra innings for the second straight night.

In the top of the 10^th, with free runner Victor Acosta at second, Ethan O’Donnell opened the inning with a single to center to move Acosta to third. After Carlos Jorge struck out, Sal Stewart drilled a two-run double to center that brought in Acosta and O’Donnell to give the Dragons a 5-3 lead. Stewart scored on Cam Collier’s single to make it 6-3.

The Captains got a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the 10^th to pull to within a run, but Murphy notched a strikeout to end the game and preserve the Dayton win.

The Dragons finished with just eight hits. Collier was 3 for 5 with an RBI. Balcazar had two hits and a walk while scoring the tying run in the ninth.

The Dragons are 8-5 in the second half and 42-37 overall.

Up Next: The Dragons battle the Captains in Eastlake again on Friday night at 7:00 pm in the second game of a three-game series. Gabriel Aguilera (1-2, 4.61) will start for Dayton against Lake County’s Trenton Denholm (7-2, 3.39).

The next home game is Tuesday, July 9 when the Dragons host the South Bend Cubs at 7:05 pm 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.