Duno Launches Another Long Homer as Dragons Pound Fort Wayne, 11-2
DRAGONS 11, FORT WAYNE 2 Click here for the box score Dayton (R-H-E): 11-13-2; Fort Wayne (R-H-E): 2-7-1 Win: Ovis Portes (1-0); Loss: Matthew Watson (0-2); Save: None HR: Dayton: Alfredo Duno (7th, 2 on base in seventh inning). HR: Fort Wayne: None Fort Wayne, Ind.—Alfredo Duno blasted a long
DRAGONS 11, FORT WAYNE 2
Click here for the box score
Dayton (R-H-E): 11-13-2; Fort Wayne (R-H-E): 2-7-1
Win: Ovis Portes (1-0); Loss: Matthew Watson (0-2); Save: None
HR: Dayton: Alfredo Duno (7th, 2 on base in seventh inning). HR: Fort Wayne: None
Fort Wayne, Ind.—Alfredo Duno blasted a long home run, Yerlin Confidan collected three hits, and all nine Dayton batters picked up at least one hit as the Dragons defeated the Fort Wayne TinCaps 11-2 in the start to a six-game road series on Tuesday night.
Dragons starting pitcher Julian Aguiar, on an injury rehab assignment, tossed two strong innings, allowing no hits and no runs.
The Dragons recorded a season high for runs in a game and extended their home run streak to 12 straight games, longest by a Dayton team since 2008.
Game Recap: The Dragons broke open a one-run game by scoring four runs in the seventh inning to extend their lead to 6-1. The highlight of the inning was a long three-run home run to left field by Alfredo Duno, his seventh homer of the year. The home run by Duno extended his hitting streak to 11 straight games and extended the Dragons streak of consecutive games with at least one home run to 14, the longest streak by a Dayton team since 2008.
The Dragons built their lead to 7-1 before scoring four more runs in the top of the ninth inning to jump ahead 11-1. The inning featured a run-scoring single by Yerlin Confidan, giving him three hits in the game and, like Duno, extending his hitting streak to 11 straight games to match the Dragons longest hitting streak of the 2026 season established by Carlos Sanchez in April. Confidan raised his batting average on the year to .299.
When Esmith Pineda delivered a run-scoring single in the ninth, it gave the Dragons at least one hit from all nine batters in their order. The Dragons finished with 13 hits, one short of their season high. The 11 runs was a new season high, surpassing the previous high of 10.
Former Reds pitcher Julian Aguiar started the game for the Dragons on an injury rehabilitation assignment. Aguiar, who spent most of the 2023 season with the Dragons as he won the Reds Minor League Pitcher of the Year award for his efforts that year, is currently on the injured list at Triple-A Louisville. He missed all of last season after undergoing elbow surgery. Aguiar threw two good innings, allowing no hits and no runs with one walk and two strikeouts.
Following Aguiar, Ovis Portes had his best outing since joining the Dragons in late-April. Portes (1-0) earned the win, going four and one-third innings and allowing one run on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
With the win, the Dragons cut their deficit behind first place Great Lakes to two and one-half games. Great Lakes lost to Wisconsin on Tuesday afternoon. The win also lifted the Dragons to six games above the .500 mark for the first time this season.
Up Next: The Dragons (23-17) play at Fort Wayne against the TinCaps (19-21) again on Wednesday in the second game of the six-game series. Nestor Lorant (2-2, 2.75) will start for the Dragons.
The next home game at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District is Tuesday, May 26 when the Dragons host the Great Lakes Loons. 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.