Dragons Record Highest Run Total in 8 Years in 17-8 Win

Dragons 17, Lake County 8

Click here for the box score

Dayton (R-H-E): 17-15-2; Lake County (R-H-E): 8-10-3

Win: Brooks Crawford (1-0); Loss: Alaska Abney (0-1); Save: None

HR: Dayton: Jack Rogers (2^nd, 3 on base in second inning—grand slam); Mat Nelson, 2 (4^th, 0 on base in third inning; 5^th, 0 on base in eighth inning); Austin Callahan (1^st, 1 on base in third inning). HR: Lake County: Yordys Valdez (2^nd, 0 on base in eighth inning).

Note: The home runs by Callahan and Nelson in the third inning were back-to-back.

Dayton, Ohio—Mat Nelson hit two home runs, Jack Rogers added a grand slam, and the Dayton Dragons produced their highest run total in eight years as they defeated the Lake County Captains 17-8 on Wednesday night. A crowd of 7,726 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.

The 17 runs marked the Dragons highest total since June 5, 2015 when they scored 17 runs at Clinton. The Dragons also collected season highs in hits (15), home runs (4), extra base hits (8), and margin of victory (9). The Dragons scored at least three runs in four different innings in the game.

Nelson’s two home runs gave him five for the year and moved him into a tie for the Midwest League lead, pending the other games on Wednesday night.

"It's one of those feelings…when you feel good and your swing feels good and you decide to just swing at pitches that are strikes, you block out and good things happen,” said Nelson. "Guys are just ready to hit. Guys are ready to go. We're kind of turning it around a little bit and I love to see that from these guys. This is a great group of guys, great team. They can really swing it too."

Lake County scored three runs against Dayton starting pitcher Carson Rudd in the top of the first inning, but the Dragons responded with a five-run second inning to take the lead. Tyler Callihan got the Dragons started with a run-scoring double, and Rogers connected on a grand slam home run to put Dayton in front, 5-3.

View the Rogers grand slam here: https://twitter.com/DragonsBaseball/status/1651377739570503680?s=20

Lake County answered with two runs in the top of the third to tie the game at 5-5, but the Dragons got back-to-back home runs from Austin Callahan and Mat Nelson in the bottom of the third to regain the lead, 8-5.

View the back-to-back home runs here: https://twitter.com/DragonsBaseball/status/1651381913616109568?s=20

The Dragons had their biggest inning of the night in the fourth. They collected five hits and scored five runs in the inning to extend their lead to 13-5. The big hits in the inning were a run-scoring double by Austin Callahan and a two-run triple by Tyler Callihan.

Lake County scored two runs in the top of the sixth to make it 13-7, but the Dragons added three more in the bottom half of the same inning to lead 16-7. Michael Trautwein’s two-run single was the big hit. Nelson blasted a lead-off homer in the eighth, his second long ball of the night, to close out the Dragons scoring.

The Dragons enjoyed a 15-hit attack. Nelson had three hits including two home runs, and he drove in three runs. Rogers had a grand slam homer and a double. Austin Callahan had a two-run homer and double with three RBI. Tyler Callihan had a double, triple, and three RBI. Trautwein and Blake Dunn also had two hits.

Notes: The Dragons were 8 for 12 with men in scoring position…The game lasted three hours, one minute with 25 runs, 25 hits, 15 walks, and 12 strikeouts.

Up Next: The Dragons (7-10) host Lake County (10-6) in the third game of the series on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. Javi Rivera (0-2, 6.75) will start for Dayton. For ticket information, go to daytondragons.com 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.

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