Whitecaps Score 2 in 9th, Edge Dragons 5-4

West Michigan 5, Dragons 4
                                                
Dayton (R-H-E): 4-12-0
West Michigan (R-H-E): 5-9-0
Win: Will Vest (2-1)
Loss: John Ghyzel (2-4)
Save: None
HR: Dayton: Stuart Fairchild (7th, 0 on base in second inning); Mark Kolozsvary (1st, 0 on base in fourth inning).
HR: West Michigan: Colby Bortles (3rd, 0 on base in eighth inning).
Grand Rapids, Mich.-The West Michigan Whitecaps scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Dayton Dragons 5-4 on Friday night. The game was the opener to a three-game set in greater Grand Rapids.
The game was tied 3-3 going to the ninth inning when the Dragons scored to take a brief lead. Dayton's Reshard Munroe walked to start the inning, stole second, went to third on Jose Garcia's fly out to short right, and scored on Randy Ventura's single to give the Dragons the advantage at 4-3.
Dragons closer John Ghyzel entered the game for the bottom of the ninth and opened the inning with a strikeout. He walked the next batter and then gave up a base hit to left field to put runners at first and second with one out. The next hitter hit a ground ball to the right of Dragons shortstop Jose Garcia, who made a backhanded stop and threw to third to get the lead runner on a fine play for the second out, leaving runners at first and second. West Michigan's Cole Peterson then hit a sinking liner to straight-away center field. Dragons outfielder Stuart Fairchild came charging in and made a diving effort at what would have been a game-ending catch, but the ball bounced in front of Fairchild and skipped past him as both runners scored to give West Michigan a walk-off win.

The Dragons jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Fairchild launched a solo home run off the top of the scoreboard in straight-away left field to make it 1-0. It was his seventh homer of the year. The ball was estimated to have traveled 393 feet with an exit velocity of 103 mph.
In the same inning, John Sansone reached on an infield single, went to second on a hit by Munroe, in his first game with the Dragons, and Sansone scored on Garcia's single to right to make it 2-0. West Michigan battled back to tie the game in the third, scoring two runs to even the score at 2-2.
In the fourth, Dayton's Mark Kolozsvary blasted his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left-center field, to again give the Dragons the lead at 3-2. The lead held until West Michigan's Colby Bortles belted a two-out home run in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game.
Dragons starting pitcher Andrew Jordan worked six innings, allowing two runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Reliever Austin Orewiler tossed two innings, allowing two hits and one run with a strikeout. Ghyzel (2-4) was charged with just his second blown save of the year. He recorded two outs and was charged with two runs on two hits with a walk and a strikeout.
The Dragons finished with 12 hits, reaching double figures in hits for the first time in 10 games. Four players had two hits including Fairchild, Ventura, Garcia, and new Dragons infielder Alejo Lopez. Munroe had a hit, two stolen bases, and two walks in his Midwest League debut for the Dragons.
The Dragons fell to 31-35 in the first half with two games to play. West Michigan improved to 34-34.
Notes: Prior to the game, the Dragons added infielder Alejo Lopez to the roster. Outfielder J.D. Williams was transferred to the Billings roster.
Up Next: The Dragons battle the Whitecaps in the second game of the three-game series on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Adrian Rodriguez (3-3, 6.32) will start for Dayton against West Michigan's Dane Myers (2-1, 2.97).
The next Dragons home game is Thursday, June 21 in the opener to the second half season as the Dragons host the South Bend Cubs at 7:00 p.m.
Game Broadcast: All Dragons games are broadcast on radio on Fox Sports 980 WONE and on the internet at wone.com. Games are also available on the Dayton Dragons mobile app.
For Dragons 2018 ticket information, call (937) 228-2287.