Dayton Scores Four Times in the Fifth, Tops Cedar Rapids 4-1

Dayton, OH - The Dragons broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth with four straight singles that turned into four runs as Dayton took game one of the series over Cedar Rapids 4-1.

Cedar Rapids starter Rick Castro and Dayton starter T.J. Sikkema began Tuesday evening in a pitcher’s duel. After both notched four scoreless innings to start the night, the score sat 0-0, headed to the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Dragons broke the seal. Leo Balcazar opened the frame with a single, and after him, a pair of hits by Victor Acosta and John Michael Faile loaded the bases with no one out. The next batter, Cade Hunter, then opened the scoring with Dayton’s fourth straight hit, a single scoring two to put the Dragons up 2-0. Also, on the play with Faile going for third, the throw got away, allowing him to score and make it 3-0. During the next at-bat, with Hunter on second, he broke to steal third, and the throw down got away, allowing him to trot home and extend the lead to 4-0.

That stayed the score until the top of the seventh. Poncho Ruiz opened the frame with a single, and after him, a Misael Urbina base hit and a Kaelen Culpepper walk loaded the bases with one out. With the bags full, Walker Jenkins put the Kernels on the board with an RBI groundout to make it 4-1. But Simon Miller for Dayton would retire the next batter, and the sides in the eighth and ninth to slam the door in a Dayton 4-1 series-opening win.

Jordan Carr was a bright spot out of the bullpen in the loss. The reliever did not allow a run in his three innings out of the Kernels' pen, striking out two with no walks.

The loss drops the Kernels to 61-52 on the season and 24-25 in the second half. Game two of the set in Dayton is set for Wednesday at 6:05, with Tanner Hall on the mound opposite Ryan Cardona.