Munroe Home Run Lifts Dragons to 4-1 Win

South Bend, Ind.-Shard Munroe hit a three-run home run and four Dayton pitchers combined to allow just five hits while striking out 14 as the Dragons defeated the South Bend Cubs 4-1 on Saturday night. The Dragons will try for a split of the four-game series on Sunday at 2:05 in South Bend.

Dragons pitchers did not allow an earned run in the game in one of their best pitching performances of the year. Starter Jared Solomon and relievers Carlos Machorro, Adrian Rodriguez, and Connor Bennett combined to prevent South Bend from advancing a runner past second base after the first inning. The game marked the first time the Dragons have held an opponent below two runs since a shutout win on April 15.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Dragons. They are 2-4 on the seven-game road trip.
South Bend opened the scoring with an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning before Dayton's Brian Rey blasted a home run in the second to tie the score. The home run was Rey's first with the Dragons in only his third game.
The Dragons added three more runs in the fourth inning as they connected on their second home run of the night. Pabel Manzanero singled to start the inning and Jay Schuyler walked. Munroe followed with a long drive that easily cleared the fence in right-center field for a three-run homer, his third long ball of the year. Munroe's home run gave the Dragons a 4-1 lead.
Solomon, the Dragons starting pitcher, allowed just one unearned run over four and one-third innings before leaving when he reached his pitch limit in the fifth. Solomon threw 83 pitches and allowed four hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Machorro was the first man out of the Dayton bullpen. He worked one and two-thirds innings with all five of his outs coming on strikeouts. He did not allow a run, giving up one hit and one walk. Machorro faced some adversity in the sixth inning when the lead-off hitter reached second base on a fly ball lost in the lights by a Dragons outfielder. But Machorro responded by striking out the next three hitters on a total of 11 pitches, 10 of which were strikes.
Rodriguez (1-2) entered the game to start the seventh inning and tossed two hitless, scoreless frames. He walked a batter and hit a batter while striking out two and was credited with the win. Bennett pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth, striking out the last two hitters to earn his third save of the year.
The Dragons finished with eight hits. Rey and Mariel Bautista each had two.
Notes:  Munroe's home run extended his hitting streak to seven straight games, one short of the team high for 2019 to date…Bennett has tossed nine innings in the month of May, allowing just two earned runs while striking out 15…Prior to the game on Saturday, the Dragons activated relief pitcher Moises Nova, who was promoted from extended spring training. Nova pitched for the Dragons in 2017 but has battled injury problems since his time in Dayton. No corresponding roster move was needed to add Nova as the Dragons were one man under the league limit of 25 players.
Up Next:  The Dragons (14-27) and Cubs (23-17) meet again in the wrap-up to the four-game series on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. in South Bend. Ricky Salinas (1-0, 3.63) will start for Dayton against Brailyn Marquez (1-0, 2.52). The Dragons return home to meet the Lake County Captains at Fifth Third Field on Monday at 7:00 p.m. On Tuesday, the Dragons and Captains will resume a suspended game from April 14 at 6:00 p.m. That game will be followed by the regularly-scheduled game. 
On the Air:  All Dragons games are broadcast on radio on Fox Sports 980 WONE AM. 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.   All Saturday and Sunday home games are televised on Dayton's CW (channel 26; Spectrum cable channels 13 and 1013).
For Dragons 2019 ticket information, call (937) 228-2287.
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