Larsen's walk-off homer snaps 5-game skid

Clinton, IA (May 6, 2018) - The Clinton LumberKings came back three times on Sunday afternoon at Ashford University Field to drop the Dayton Dragons 9-8. Jack Larsen lined the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth over the wall in right for a walk-off home run, snapping a season high five-game losing streak.
Dayton (15-12) held three separate leads on the LumberKings (15-11). In the top of the first the Dragons scored the first run of the game on an RBI single from Stuart Fairchild, taking a 1-0 lead.
Clinton answered the run in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from Ryan Costello. Costello went 3-for-4 for the LumberKings, driving in four and slugging his fourth home run of the season.
One of the two Dayton three-run innings broke the 1-1 tie in the top of the third inning. Back-to-back RBI singles by Michael Beltre and Fairchild capped a three-run rally that put Dayton on top 4-1.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Clinton again stormed back from down three to tie the score. Costello started the inning with a 461 foot home run to right and was followed by singles from Griefer Andrade and Eugene Helder, who each score to tie the game at four.
The Dragons took their last lead of the game in the top of the fifth. Eight men came to the plate in the inning with John Sansone driving in the majority of the runs in the inning with a two-run triple down the line in left. Dayton added another run in the top of the sixth to stretch their lead to 8-4, their largest of the game.
Clinton again came back to the score stormed back, tying the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Four straight hits off Dragons reliever Taylor Buffet scored three for the LumberKings in the inning.
Scott Boches worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen to settle the game for LumberKings pitching and turned things over to Sam Delaplane in the top of the ninth. Delaplane (2-0) worked a scoreless ninth setting down the Dragons with three strikeouts and worked around a one out single.
In the bottom of the ninth, Jack Larsen lined the first pitch of the frame from Sarkis Ohanian (1-1) over the wall in right for his fourth home run of the season and the LumberKings first walk-off win.
The LumberKings hit the road for a 10-game trip starting in Comstock Michigan against the West Michigan Whitecaps on Monday night. Clinton will throw right-hander Tommy Romero (2-2, 2.74) in game one of the three-game set while the Whitecaps will counter with righty Garret King (0-1, 3.22). First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM. Fans looking to listen to the call of the game can hear Erik Oas at 5:50 PM with the pregame show on 100.3 FM WCCI.
About the LumberKings 
 
The LumberKings, the only remaining Charter Member of the Midwest League, are in their 63rd season in the league and their 10th as an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Since the club's inception in 1937, 279 former Clinton players have made it to the Major Leagues. The LumberKings play at historic Ashford University Field located off 6th Avenue North at 537 Ballpark Drive. Advertising and tickets for the 2018 season are available by calling (563) 242-0727 or by visiting lumberkings.com