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MLB

Dragons Shutout Loons, Advance to MWL Championship Series for First Time in Team History

By Dayton Dragons
September 11, 2026

DRAGONS 5, GREAT LAKES 0 Click here for the box score Dayton (R-H-E): 5-6-0; Great Lakes (R-H-E): 0-5-3 Win: Jimmy Romano (1-0); Loss: Cam Leiter (0-1); Save: None HR: Dayton: Ryan McCrystal (1st, 0 on base in sixth inning). HR: Great Lakes: None Dayton, Ohio—Dayton starting pitcher Mason Morris combined

DRAGONS 5, GREAT LAKES 0

Click here for the box score

Dayton (R-H-E): 5-6-0; Great Lakes (R-H-E): 0-5-3

Win: Jimmy Romano (1-0); Loss: Cam Leiter (0-1); Save: None

HR: Dayton: Ryan McCrystal (1st, 0 on base in sixth inning). HR: Great Lakes: None

Dayton, Ohio—Dayton starting pitcher Mason Morris combined with four relievers on a five-hit shutout and Damian Ruiz belted a three-run double to lead the Dragons to a 5-0 victory over the Great Lakes Loons on Friday night.

A crowd of 7,422 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.

With Friday’s victory, the Dragons won the best-of-three Midwest League East Division playoff series with Great Lakes, two games to one. The Dragons will now advance for the first time in their history to the MWL Championship Series. That best-of-three set will open on Sunday night at 6:00 pm (EDT) in Davenport, Iowa against the West Division champions, the Quad Cities River Bandits.

Recap: The game was still scoreless as the Dragons came to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Dayton starting pitcher, Mason Morris, worked out of trouble in each of the first four frames, notching a strikeout for the third out in each of the four innings with runners on base.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Dragons put together a big inning. With two outs and the bases empty, Ryan McCrystal singled to center field, and Johnny Ascanio followed with a line drive hit through the middle. The Loons then brought in left-hander Matt Lanzendorfer to face left-handed hitting Tyson Lewis, and Lewis drew a walk to load the bases. Damian Ruiz followed with a line drive double to left field that brought in all three runners and gave the Dragons a 3-0 lead. Ruiz advanced to third base on the play on a wild relay throw to the plate.

Ruiz then scored on one of the most unusual plays of the year. With the Loons hurler on the pitching rubber, Ruiz broke for the plate, attempting a “true” steal of home. Great Lakes catcher Victor Rodrigues stepped in front of the plate to receive the pitch and tagged Ruiz, but the plate umpire called a “catcher’s balk” and catcher’s interference. By rule, the catcher cannot leave the catcher’s box to receive a pitch, and Ruiz was awarded home plate to give the Dragons a 4-0 lead.

“You know, I woke up this morning, super excited because I knew I had a chance to go out here and play for something meaningful,” said Ruiz. “You know, we show up every day, and we compete, and that's all you can really ask for. As long as you compete, you’ve got a chance to win ball games.”

In the sixth inning, McCrystal connected on an opposite field home run to left field to give the Dragons a 5-0 lead.

Jimmy Romano replaced Morris in the fifth with a runner on base and no one out and worked out of the inning without allowing a run, then tossed a scoreless sixth inning. Jordan Little worked a perfect seventh inning, and Victor Diaz pitched the eighth, leaving two men on base. Trent Hodgdon tossed the ninth to close out the Dragons win. Both Diaz and Hodgdon pitched on Thursday night, marking the first time in their professional careers that they appeared on the mound on consecutive days.

McCrystal went 3 for 4 with a home run for the Dragons and went 7 for 12 in the playoff series.

Dragons pitchers allowed one run in 18 innings during the two home wins Thursday and Friday. They allowed just two runs over the final 24 innings of the series.

Up Next: Game one of the Midwest League Championship Series (best-of-three) will be played in Davenport, Iowa on Sunday night at 6:00 pm as the Dragons battle the Quad Cities River Bandits. The second and (if necessary) third games of the championship series will be played at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District at 7:05 pm on Tuesday, September 15 and Wednesday, September 16. 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.

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