Dragons Win in 13 Innings, Go 5-1 on Homestand

Dragons 2, West Michigan 1 (13 innings)

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Dayton, Ohio-Narciso Crook's hard single down the right field line brought in pinch runner Avain Rachal from third base with no one out in the bottom of the 13th inning as the Dayton Dragons defeated the West Michigan Whitecaps 2-1 on Thursday night. The Dragons took two-out-of-three in the series with the first place Whitecaps and went 5-1 on their homestand. 

The Dragons have won 10 of their last 11 home games and improved their second half record to 15-13. They are tied for second place, two and one-half games out of first.

Dragons starting pitcher Tejay Antone provided one of the finest performances in recent years by a Dragons hurler. He went eight and two-thirds innings before allowing a run, but the run was a game-tying solo homer in the ninth inning by West Michigan's all-star right fielder Mike Gerber. For the second time this season, Antone came within one out of tossing the Dragons first nine-inning complete game since the 2008 season.

In the bottom of the 13th, Gavin LaValley walked on a 3-2 pitch to start the rally and Rachal came in to run for him. A wild pitch moved Rachal to third, and Paul Kronenfeld was intentionally walked. Another wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third, and Crook followed with a hard grounder between the first baseman and the foul line to end the game.

The Dragons took a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning when Kronenfeld tripled with two outs to drive in Aristides Aquino from third base. It was still a 1-0 game going to the ninth inning when Antone retired the first two batters to bring Gerber to the plate. At the time, the Whitecaps had not advanced a runner past first base over the entire night against Antone, but Gerber lined a home run to right field to tie the game at 1-1. Antone left the game after throwing exactly 100 pitches.

Dragons reliever Ty Sterner (1-0) did an exceptional job in only his second game with the Dragons. He entered the game in the 10th inning with two outs and the bases loaded, and struck out Rashad Brown to end the threat. Sterner then worked three more scoreless frames, allowing just one hit and one walk with four strikeouts to earn the win.

The Dragons finished with eight hits. Crook was 2 for 5 and went 9 for 14 in the series. Kronenfeld was also 2 for 5.

The Dragons (15-13 in the second half; 54-44 overall) travel to Lansing, Michigan to take on the Lansing Lugnuts (14-14, 56-42) on Friday night at 7:05 in the first game of a three-game series. Junior Morillo (3-4, 4.38) will start for the Dragons against Lansing's Shane Dawson (11-4, 3.05).

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: The Dragons improved to 7-0 in extra inning games at home this season.