'Caps Burned by Dragons

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps fell victim to a Dayton Dragons four-run fifth inning and lost 5-3 on a hot and humid Sunday afternoon in front of 6,104 fans at Fifth Third Ballpark.
Tweet from @wmwhitecaps: Franky wants you to keep cheering on the #WCaps even though we fell to @DragonsBaseball today. See you tomorrow at 7:05pm for game three! Presented by @MittenBrewingCo. pic.twitter.com/UvkAoCyypz
The Dragons started the scoring on a Sunday with a game-time temperature of 89 degrees with a run in the second off Whitecaps starter Wilkel Hernandez on Alejo Lopez' RBI-single. A Rey Rivera two-run home run in the fourth inning gave the 'Caps a short-lived 2-1 lead. Hernandez failed to finish the fifth, giving up four runs - all with two outs - including consecutive home runs by Jose Garcia and Reshard Munroe to give Dayton a 5-2 cushion. Brock Deatherage helped chase Dayton starter Jared Solomon out of the game in the fifth inning with a run-scoring double, his third RBI of the series, slimming the Whitecaps deficit to 5-3. The Deatherage hit represented the last base hit for the 'Caps until the bottom of the ninth, as Dragons reliever Miguel Aguilar stifled the Whitecaps in the middle innings. In the ninth with two out, Luke Sherley walked, and Chris Proctor singled off Midwest League save leader John Ghyzel. Ryan Nutof replaced Ghyzel in relief and induced a game-ending groundout by Brady Policelli to end the Whitecaps threat and snap a four-game win streak by West Michigan over the Dragons.
Proctor played his best game of the season despite the loss, contributing two hits on the day and throwing out all three Dayton baserunners in the contest. Hernandez (1-5), who pitched magnificently in his last start on July 30th, suffered the loss, giving up seven hits, all five Dayton runs and issuing four strikeouts. Aguilar (4-1) picked up the win with 2.2 innings of brilliant relief work for the Dragons. The Whitecaps fall to 21-21 in the first half and 57-55 on the year, but still maintain a spot atop the Eastern Division playoff picture, while Dayton moves to 51-60 and 20-23 in the Midwest League's second half. Dayton snapped a three-game skid with the victory.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps conclude their three-game series against the Dayton Dragons with a Monday night contest at 7:05 pm. Righty Dane Myers gets the start against Dragons southpaw Packy Naughton. Broadcast coverage with Dan Hasty and Mike Coleman starts on the Whitecaps Baseball Network at 6:55 pm. Tickets are available for any Whitecaps 2018 home contest by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or by visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.
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