Frazier completes Captains' comeback

Clint Frazier stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning Friday night with the go-ahead run 90 feet away, but he wasn't nervous. He just thought of it like any other at-bat.

"I was just looking to put a swing on the ball and give my team a win," the 19-year-old center fielder said. "I've been in big positions like that before and I am able to keep my heart rate down and not put any extra pressure on myself."

The Indians' No. 2 prospect took an inside fastball and drove in Brian Ruiz with an infield single as Class A Lake County rallied for a 9-8 triumph over Dayton at Classic Park.

The hit was Frazier's third of night. He also walked twice and hit his second double of the season, 24 hours after launching his first Midwest League home run.

"It felt really good to just give my team the win," he said. "I just felt really confident at the plate. I've been working on a few adjustments ... just trying to stay behind the ball as long as I can."

In his first full Minor League season, the fifth overall pick in last year's Draft is hitting .263 with six RBIs, 10 walks and a .377 on-base percentage in 15 games.

Trailing, 6-5, Lake County tied it in the eighth as Nellie Rodriguez raced home on a wild pitch by reliever Ryan Kemp. After a scoreless ninth, Dayton regained the lead in the 10th on RBI single by Julio Morillo and Jamodrick McGruder.

Frazier did not lose confidence in his team, which was playing its second straight extra-inning contest.

"I didn't think it was over at all," MLB.com's No. 45 overall prospect said. "We had another at-bat, our team is doing well at the plate right now and I knew we could win."

Paul Hendrix delivered an RBI double and scored the tying run on Brian Ruiz's first triple of the season. Then, a little over three hours after catching McGruder's fly ball for the first out of the game, Frazier came through and finished off his fourth career three-hit night.

Kenny Mathews (2-2), the Captains' third pitcher of the game, recorded the final two outs for the win.

Reds No. 15 prospect Sal Romano got the start for Dayton and allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out nine over six innings. Scott Brattvet (2-1) also retired two batters but was charged with three runs on three hits and a walk.

Morillo went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while McGruder and Daniel Mateo contributed three hits apiece for the Dragons.