Dragons Battle Back from 7-0 Deficit but Fall Short in 8-6 Loss to West Michigan Sunday

West Michigan 8, Dragons 6

Click here for the box score

West Michigan (R-H-E): 8-12-0; Dayton (R-H-E): 6-13-1

Win: Tanner Kohlhepp (4-3); Loss: Javi Rivera (0-1); Save: Michael Bienlien (1)

HR: Dayton: Ethan O’Donnell (1^st, 1 on base in sixth inning). HR: West Michigan: Luke Gold (5^th, 0 on base in fifth inning).

Dayton, Ohio—The West Michigan Whitecaps scored five runs in the top of the first inning and held off a Dayton comeback bid, defeating the Dragons 8-6 on Sunday afternoon. The two clubs split the six-game series with three wins apiece.

A crowd of 7,838 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.

West Michigan built a 7-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. The Dragons battled back, getting a two-run home run by Ethan O’Donnell in the sixth that brought them to within two runs at 8-6, but they could not complete the comeback effort.

Game Recap:

Five of the first six West Michigan batters to go to the plate in the top of the first inning reached base and came around to score as the Whitecaps led 5-0. They added single runs in the third and fifth to make it 7-0.

The Dragons started back in the bottom of the fifth, getting a pair of RBI doubles in the inning from Cam Collier and Victor Acosta to make it 7-2. But West Michigan tacked on another run in the top of the sixth to make it 8-2.

The Dragons put together a big sixth inning to get back within striking distance. Jay Allen II and Hector Rodriguez delivered base hits to start the inning and both eventually scored. Collier, who had driven in Rodriguez with a single, was on base when Ethan O’Donnell blasted a long home run to right field to make it 8-6. The homer was O’Donnell’s first of the year in his return to the lineup for the first time in eight days due to a shoulder injury.

HR from the DH! Ethan O'Donnell's first homer of the season! 🔥⚾️ #FeelTheFire pic.twitter.com/FV6nC8IlJH

— Dayton Dragons (@DragonsBaseball) May 5, 2024

But the Dragons could not complete the comeback effort. They had only one hit over the final three innings as West Michigan held on for the series split.

The Dragons finished the day with 13 hits including two each for the first six hitters in the lineup: Allen, Rodriguez, Stewart, Collier, O’Donnell, and Carlos Jorge. Collier drove in two runs to increase his Midwest League leading RBI total to 28.

Dragons starting pitcher Javi Rivera had a rough day. He worked one-third of an inning, allowing five runs on four hits with one walk and one strikeout. The Dragons bullpen combined for eight and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs.

Up Next: The Dragons (12-15) do not play on Monday. They will open a six-game road series in Eastlake, Ohio on Tuesday night against the Lake County Captains (16-11) at 6:05 p.m. Ryan Cardona (2-0, 3.06) will start for Dayton against Lake County’s Parker Messick (1-2, 2.73).

The next home game at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District is Tuesday, May 14 at 7:05 pm against the Great Lakes Loons. 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.

#