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Ibarra's Home Run Lifts Dragons to Sixth Straight Win

By Tom Nichols
May 30, 2023

Dragons 4, West Michigan 2 Click here for the box score Dayton (R-H-E): 4-4-0; West Michigan (R-H-E): 2-5-2 Win: Jake Gozzo (3-2); Loss: Bryce Tassin (0-1); Save: None HR: Dayton: Blake Dunn (7th, 0 on base in fifth inning); Ruben Ibarra (6th, 1 on base in eighth inning). HR: West

Dragons 4, West Michigan 2

Click here for the box score

Dayton (R-H-E): 4-4-0; West Michigan (R-H-E): 2-5-2

Win: Jake Gozzo (3-2); Loss: Bryce Tassin (0-1); Save: None

HR: Dayton: Blake Dunn (7th, 0 on base in fifth inning); Ruben Ibarra (6th, 1 on base in eighth inning). HR: West Michigan: Brady Allen (5th, 0 on base in second inning).

Dayton, Ohio—Ruben Ibarra blasted a tie-breaking two-run home in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Dayton Dragons to a 4-2 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Tuesday night. The win was the sixth straight for the Dragons and snapped West Michigan’s four-game winning streak.

A crowd of 8,042 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.

West Michigan scored two runs in the top of the second inning to jump out to an early 2-0 lead. The Dragons responded in the bottom half of the same inning with one run to cut the deficit in half. Austin Hendrick opened the inning with a double to right field and he eventually scored on a two-out single to left by Justice Thompson to make it 2-1.

In the fifth inning, Dayton’s Blake Dunn drilled a solo home run to center field to tie the game. The homer was Dunn’s seventh of the season.

Click here to view Dunn’s home run: https://twitter.com/DragonsBaseball/status/1663706481881907202

The score was still 2-2 when the Dragons came to bat in the eighth inning. Austin Callahan reached on an error to start the frame and Ibarra followed by launching a home run to left field to break the tie. The homer was Ibarra’s sixth of the season.

Click here to view Ibarra’s home run: https://twitter.com/DragonsBaseball/status/1663720727286099969?s=20

"When you practice this situation millions of times in the cage, this is what you work for,” said Ibarra. “It just feels weird when it comes together, you know? It's like when you finish a puzzle."

Dragons reliever Jake Gozzo, who had pitched a scoreless eighth inning, went back to the mound for the ninth. He allowed a one-out single but retired the next two hitters on fly outs to end the game.

The Dragons bullpen trio of Brooks Crawford, Myles Gayman, and Gozzo combined to go seven and one-third shutout innings, allowing just two hits and no walks. Gozzo (3-2) was credited with the win. Crawford retired all 10 batters he faced in relief of starter Hunter Parks, who reached his pitch limit in a long second inning. Parks worked one and two-thirds, allowing two runs on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

The Dragons can jump above the .500 mark for the first time in 2023 with a win on Wednesday. Ibarra credits improved situational baseball for the Dragons recent success.

"Capitalizing on the chances we get when we have runners in scoring position, we do our best to get them in,” said Ibarra. “We’ve got jobs to do and we know we're here for each other 100 percent. We've got faith in each other. If the first guy won't do it, we know the second guy will."

Up Next: The Dragons (23-23) will host West Michigan (26-20) on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District in the second game of the six-game series. Chase Petty (0-0, 0.75) is scheduled to start for Dayton. 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.

More Information:The Dayton Dragons are the affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and play 66 home games at beautiful Day Air Ballpark, in the heart of the Water Street District. Contact the Dragons by calling at (937) 228-2287, emailing at [email protected], or go to daytondragons.com. For more information, please visit the following links:

The Dragons sellout streak is active, currently at 1,460 consecutive sold-out dates over the past 23 years and is a testament to the Dayton area community. To keep the sellout streak alive, Dragons fans are encouraged to attend games this summer at Day Air Ballpark.

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