Loons Score 2 in 7th, Edge Dragons 2-0

GREAT LAKES 2, DRAGONS 0

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Great Lakes (R-H-E): 2-9-0; Dayton (R-H-E): 0-4-1

Win: Davis Chastain (2-0); Loss: Jacob Edwards (0-1); Save: Alex Makarewich (2)

HR: Dayton: None HR: Great Lakes: None

Midland, Mich.—Four Great Lakes pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout as the Loons defeated the Dayton Dragons 2-0 on Tuesday night. The game was the start of six-game series in Midland, Michigan.

Game Recap: The game developed as a pitcher’s duel between Dayton starter Reynardo Cruz and Aiden Foeller of the Loons. Neither starter allowed a run and both faced few threats to score during their time in the game. Cruz had an outstanding night for the Dragons. With a fastball that topped out at 97 mph, Cruz worked five scoreless innings, allowing four hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Jacob Edwards replaced Cruz to start the sixth inning and worked a perfect frame in his initial inning in the game. But in the seventh, the first four Loons hitters all had hits as they pushed across two runs. Edwards did a good job of limiting the damage, getting back-to-back strikeouts and then an inning-ending groundout after Great Lakes put a runner on third with no one out.

But the Dragons could not get their offense going. They had their best chance of the night to score in the top of the eighth when Peyton Stovall led off with a double off the foot of the pitcher and then into shallow right field. But Esmith Pineda struck out and after a wild pitch moved Stovall to third with one out, Kien Vu flied out to shallow left field and Carlos Sanchez lined out hard to right to end the threat. The Dragons were retired in order in the ninth.

Dayton finished with just four hits. Yerlin Confidan had a line drive double clocked at 113.4 mph off the bat, perhaps the hardest hit ball of the season by a Dragons hitter. Ryan McCrystal and Stovall also had doubles for Dayton.

Edwards (0-1) was charged with the loss. He worked three innings in relief of Cruz, allowing five hits and two runs with no walks and two strikeouts.

Up Next: The Dragons (4-5) play in Midland, Michigan against the Loons (7-3) again on Wednesday at 6:05 pm in the second game of the six-game series. J.P. Ortiz will start for Dayton.

The next home game at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District is Tuesday, April 21 when the Dragons host the South Bend Cubs. 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.