Hunter, Graham Lead Dragons to 12-4 Win on Wednesday Afternoon in Lansing

Dragons 12, Lansing 4

Click here for the box score

Dayton (R-H-E): 12-15-1; Lansing (R-H-E): 4-8-1

Win: Ryan Cardona (6-4); Loss: Grant Judkins (2-5); Save: None

HR: Dayton: Cade Hunter (6^th, 2 on base in seventh inning); Cam Collier (14^th, 0 on base in eighth inning); Carter Graham (3^rd, 0 on base in ninth inning). HR: Lansing: None

Lansing, Mich.—Dayton’s Cade Hunter led a 15-hit attack with a home run and two doubles as the Dragons defeated the Lansing Lugnuts 12-2 on Wednesday afternoon. The two teams have split the first two games of the series.

The Dragons scored runs in seven of their nine innings, blasting three home runs, and posting their highest hit total since May 26. Carter Graham and Cam Collier also hit home runs for Dayton.

With the win, the Dragons extended their lead in the second half playoff race to two games over West Michigan, pending the Whitecaps game tonight at Fort Wayne. Lansing is four games behind. There are 34 games to play.

Game Summary:

The Dragons took the lead with a run in the top of the first inning and kept a consistent attack alive as they scored runs in four of the first five innings. Cam Collier and Leo Balcazar each had run-scoring singles in the third as the Dragons built their lead to 3-0. They led 4-1 going to the fifth when Ethan O’Donnell delivered an RBI double and Carter Graham added a two-run single as Dayton took a commanding 7-1 lead.

In the seventh inning, Cade Hunter broke the game open with a three-run home run to right field (estimated at 420’) to make it 10-1. The homer was Hunter’s sixth of the season.

Collier and Graham each added solo home runs in the final two innings for the Dragons. Collier hit his 14^th of the season and his first in July. Graham’s homer was his third with the Dragons.

Dragons with multi-hit games included Hunter (home run, two doubles) and Graham (home run, double, single). Collier, Balcazar, and O’Donnell each had two hits.

Hunter became the first Dayton player to collect three extra base hits in a game since Carlos Jorge on April 25. Like Hunter, Jorge had a home run and two doubles in that game.

On the mound, Dayton starter Ryan Cardona pitched well, cruising through five innings and allowing just one run on four hits with no walks and four strikeouts. He threw only 64 pitches. Dylan Simmons posted an impressive relief outing over two near-perfect innings. The only base runner against him reached on a dropped third strike.

Notes: The Dragons finished the month with a record of 14-9 in July. Their .609 winning percentage was their best in a month this season.

Up Next: The Dragons (19-13, 53-45) play at Lansing against the Lugnuts (15-17, 47-50) on Thursday at 7:05 pm in the third game of the six-game series. Brian Edgington (1-0, 6.30) will start for the Dragons against Lansing’s Mitch Myers (6-4, 3.74).

The next home game at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District is Tuesday, August 6 when the Dragons host the Lake County Captains. 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.