Jones Drills 3 Doubles as Dragons Winning Streak Reaches 5

Dragons 2, South Bend 1

Click here for the box score

Dayton (R-H-E): 2-7-1; South Bend (R-H-E): 1-5-0

Win: Jayvien Sandridge (3-1); Loss: Chase Watkins (0-2); Save: Vin Timpanelli (3)

HR: Dayton: None HR: South Bend: None

South Bend, Ind.—Dayton’s Hayden Jones collected three doubles and drove in two runs while four Dragons pitchers combined to allow just five hits as Dayton defeated the South Bend Cubs 2-1 on Sunday night. The Dragons won five of six games in the series at South Bend, closing the set by winning the final five, their longest winning streak of the season.

Jones, getting only his fifth start of the year, became the first Dragons player with three extra base hits in a game since JV Martinez on July 20, 2022 at West Michigan.

Dayton starting pitcher Thomas Farr and relievers Jayvien Sandridge, Owen Holt, and Vin Timpanelli gave the club another fine pitching performance. Dragons pitchers allowed just 11 runs in the six-game set, their fewest runs surrendered in a series since they limited Fort Wayne to nine runs in six games in April of 2022.

The Dragons took the lead in the top of the second inning when Wendell Marrero singled through the middle with two outs and scored from first base on Jones’ double to the fence in right-center.

South Bend scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Dragons quickly regained the lead in the seventh. Marrero tripled to the fence in right-center field with one out and scored on a slow roller to shortstop off the bat of Jones to make it 2-1 and close out the scoring. Jones also had doubles in the fifth and ninth innings.

Farr worked five and two-thirds innings, allowing just an unearned run on four hits with no walks and two strikeouts. He threw only 57 pitches. Sandridge came into the game in the sixth with two outs and a runner at second and got the final out of the inning. With Dayton leading 2-1 in the seventh, Sandridge got two outs in the inning before being replaced by Holt with the tying run at second, and Holt notched a strikeout to protect the lead. Holt pitched a scoreless eighth and Timpanelli tossed a perfect ninth for his third save. Sandridge (3-1) was credited with the win.

The Dragons finished with seven hits. Jones was 3 for 4 while Marrero was 2 for 4 with two runs scored.

Notes: The Dragons enjoyed their first five-win series of 2023. They had three in 2022. They are 14-10 in May after going 8-13 in April…The Dragons (22-23) climbed to within one game of the .500 mark for the first time since they were 2-3 on April 12…South Bend starting pitcher Richard Gallardo established a season high for most strikeouts in a game by a Dragons opponent with 11 in five innings.

Up Next: The Dragons do not play on Monday. They will return home to Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District to open a six-game series with the West Michigan Whitecaps (26-19) on Tuesday, May 30 at 7:05 p.m. Hunter Parks (2-2, 2.84) is scheduled to start for Dayton. 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.