Whitecaps Build Big Lead Early, Top Dragons 11-3

WEST MICHIGAN 11, DRAGONS 3

Click here for the box score

West Michigan (R-H-E): 11-13-0; Dayton (R-H-E): 3-8-0

Win: Juanmi Vasquez (1-3); Loss: Ovis Portes (1-2); Save: None

HR: Dayton: None HR: West Michigan: Luke Shliger (2^nd, 1 on base in second inning); Jackson Strong (4^th, 3 on base in fifth inning).

Grand Rapids, Mich.—The West Michigan Whitecaps scored runs in each of the first five innings on the way to an 11-3 win over the Dayton Dragons on Saturday night.

With the loss, the Dragons fell to three games behind first place Great Lakes in the East Division first half race with 10 games to play. Lake County jumped ahead of the Dragons into second place, two and one-half games behind Great Lakes, as the Captains won their fourth straight game against Fort Wayne.

Game Recap: West Michigan jumped out to an early 6-1 lead, scoring one run in the first inning, two in the second, and three in the third.

The Whitecaps added a single run in the fourth and then broke the game open with four runs in the fifth inning to take an 11-1 lead. Jackson Strong connected on a three-run home run in the fifth to highlight the inning.

Dragons starting pitcher Ovis Portes (1-2) was charged with the loss. He worked three and one-third innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

The Dragons finished the night with eight hits including four in the ninth inning. Peyton Stovall was 2 for 4 including a double with two runs batted in. Victor Acosta also had a run-scoring single for Dayton. Two of the three Dragons runs came in the ninth.

West Michigan has won three of the first five games in the series that concludes on Sunday.

Up Next: The Dragons (31-25) conclude their six-game series in Grand Rapids, Michigan against the Whitecaps (19-37) on Sunday afternoon at 2:15 pm. Reynardo Cruz (1-1, 5.19) will start for Dayton against Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal, the American League Cy Young Award winner in both 2024 and ’25. Skubal is on an injury rehabilitation assignment with West Michigan.

The next Dragons home game is Tuesday, June 9 when the Dragons host the Fort Wayne TinCaps in the start to a six-game series at 7:05 pm at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. 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.