Vu, Almonte, and Alcantara Blast Home Runs in Dragons 8-5 Win at West Michigan on Thursday

DRAGONS 8, WEST MICHIGAN 5

Click here for the box score

Dayton (R-H-E): 8-10-0; West Michigan (R-H-E): 5-4-0

Win: Beau Blanchard (3-2); Loss: Zach Lee (0-2); Save: Dylan Simmons (1)

HR: Dayton: Alfredo Alcantara (3rd, 0 on base in second inning); Ariel Almonte (2nd, 2 on base in fourth inning); Kien Vu (4th, 2 on base in sixth inning). HR: West Michigan: Garrett Pennington (6^th, 0 on base in first inning).

Grand Rapids, Mich.—Kien Vu and Ariel Almonte hit three-run home runs and Alfredo Alcantara hit a solo shot as the Dayton Dragons defeated the West Michigan Whitecaps 8-5 on Thursday afternoon. The win was the third straight in the series for the Dragons and improved their record to 16-14 on the year. They are 6-4 so far on their 13-game road trip.

Game Recap: The Dragons trailed 1-0 when Alfredo Alcantara connected on his third home run of the season in the second inning, a solo homer to tie the game.

The Dragons took the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Alcantara singled to center with one out and went to second base on a walk to Jack Moss. With two outs, Ariel Almonte hit a long home run to right field to break the tie and give the Dragons a 4-1 lead. The homer was Almonte’s second of the season.

Dragons starting pitcher Ovis Portis, in his first Midwest League appearance, struck out seven of the first 11 batters he faced, retiring 10 of the 11. But Portis issued back-to-back walks with one out in the bottom of the fourth, followed by a pair of singles as West Michigan pulled to within a run at 4-3. After Portis notched another strikeout for the second out of the inning, he gave up another walk to load the bases, this one coming on a 3-2 pitch. The Dragons dugout was unhappy with the balls and strikes calls in the inning with the third walk leading to the ejection of Dayton manager Julio Morillo. Portis left the game at that point due to a limited pitch count and was replaced by Beau Blanchard, who surrendered a two-run single to the first batter he faced to give West Michigan a 5-4 lead.

But the Dragons battled back and tied the game in the fifth when Kien Vu walked, stole second, on scored on a bloop double by Yerlin Confidan to make it 5-5.

In the sixth, Moss walked and Victor Acosta reached on a bunt single to start the inning. With two men on base and two outs, Vu belted a home run to center field to give the Dragons an 8-5 lead. The homer was Vu’s team-leading fourth of the year and his second in the last two games.

Blanchard rolled through the next four innings, retiring 14 straight West Michigan hitters before giving up a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth inning. Dylan Simmons entered the game with two outs in the ninth and recorded a strikeout to end the game and earn a save.

Blanchard (3-2) picked up the win, going five innings of long relief and allowing just one hit and no runs with one walk and four strikeouts.

The Dragons finished the day with 10 hits. Alcantara and John Michael Faile each had two.

Notes: The Dragons matched a season-high with three home runs in the game. They have hit eight homers in their last four games after hitting 11 in their first 26 games of the year…The Dragons are two games above the .500 mark for the first time this season…West Michigan’s loss was their 11^th in a row, one short of the Whitecaps club record.

Up Next: The Dragons (16-14) continue their 13-game road trip with the fourth game of the series at West Michigan against the Whitecaps (12-18) on Friday night at 6:35 pm. Nestor Lorant (1-2, 2.66) will start for the Dragons against West Michigan’s Rayner Castillo (0-3, 7.11).

The next Dragons game at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District is Tuesday, May 12 against the Lake County Captains at 7:05 pm. 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.