Whitecaps Score in 9th, Beat Dragons 2-1

West Michigan 2, Dragons 1

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Grand Rapids, Mich.-Joey Pankake scored from third base with the winning run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning as the West Michigan Whitecaps edged the Dayton Dragons 2-1 on Wednesday night. The Dayton loss snapped their five-game winning streak.

The score was tied 1-1 after West Michigan scored in the first and Dayton pushed across a run in the third. Neither team could mount a serious scoring threat until the bottom of the ninth, when Pankake led off with a walk against Dayton pitcher Jake Ehret (3-2). Kade Scivicque bunted back to Ehret, but he threw high to second base, allowing Pankake to be safe on the play. The runners advanced to second and third on a sacrifice. The next West Michigan batter, Will Kengor hit a dribbler about 10 feet in front of home plate. Dragons catcher Garrett Boulware raced out, grabbed the ball, and then turned to try to tag Pankake sliding in, but Pankake beat Boulware to the plate to end the game.

Dragons starting pitcher Tyler Mahle was outstanding but received no decision. He worked six innings, allowing five hits and one run with no walks and two strikeouts. Ehret was strong over the seventh and eighth innings, allowing only one base runner on a walk, before allowing the winning run in the ninth to take the loss.

The Dragons finished with only two hits. They scored their only run in the third when Boulware led off with a double down the left field line and went to third on Shed Long's sacrifice. Jonathan Reynoso grounded to third, but Zach Shepherd bounced the throw home run an error, allowing Boulware to score. The only other Dayton hit was a single to center field by Paul Kronenfeld in the fourth.      

The Dragons (10-10 in the second half; 49-41 overall) battle the Whitecaps (12-7, 45-43) again on Thursday in the second game of the series. Jake Paulson (2-2, 2.48) will start for the Dragons against West Michigan's Artie Lewicki (1-3, 4.55).

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.

Notes: West Michigan had only five hits and the game featured only three walks as the pitchers on both sides had a dominant night.