Dragons Earn Third Straight Win over South Bend as Pitching Continues to Dominate

Dragons 6, South Bend 1

Click here for the box score

Dayton (R-H-E): 6-7-1; South Bend (R-H-E): 1-4-0

Win: Easton Sikorski (1-1); Loss: Sam Armstrong (3-4); Save: None

HR: Dayton: None HR: South Bend: Jonathan Long (10^th, 0 on base in sixth inning).

Dayton, Ohio—Four Dayton pitchers combined to allow just four hits as the red-hot Dragons defeated the South Bend Cubs 6-1 on Thursday night. Dayton has won the first three games of the six-game series with South Bend. The Dragons are 6-3 in the month of July including a 5-1 record at home.

A crowd of 7,802 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.

Game Summary:

The Dragons picked up the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Victor Acosta walked to start the inning and with one out, Sal Stewart lined a double to the corner in right field to move Acosta to third. Hector Rodriguez lined out to center field to bring in Acosta on a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.

The Dragons scored again in the fourth when Cam Collier drilled a double to the fence in right-center and scored after a pair of wild pitches to make it 2-0. Later in the same inning, Jay Allen II walked and scored from first base on a double down the left field line by Carter Graham to give the Dragons a 3-0 lead.

South Bend scored in the top of the sixth inning on a home run by Jonathan Long to pull to within two runs at 3-1. But the Dragons responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a commanding lead. Victor Acosta was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in one run, and Cade Hunter delivered a two-out, two-run single to make it 6-1.

Dragons relievers Easton Sikorski and John Murphy combined to protect the lead. Sikorski (1-1) was credited with the win. He tossed three innings, allowing two hits and one run with no walks and four strikeouts.

Dragons starting pitcher Jose Franco, who has been limited to three innings per start after coming back from elbow surgery, pitched well in his reduced outing. He tossed three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

Trey Braithwaite, returning to action after missing the entire 2023 season with an elbow injury, tossed two scoreless innings without allowing a hit.

"It's just good to get back in the game of baseball after 15 months and get my feet wet again,” said Braithwaite. “I keep plugging away and getting better and better. It's nice to get back."

"It's just a good group of guys in the clubhouse. A really good coaching staff and support staff. We're all blending very well and feeding off each other. I think if we keep doing that it's going to be really good for us. Just kind of building off each other. Let's keep this thing rolling."

The Dragons finished with seven hits. Collier was 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored. Hunter had a two-run single and a walk.

The Dragons are 11-7 in the second half and 45-39 overall. Their full-season record is six games above the .500 mark for the first time this season.

Notes: The Dragons drew a season-high nine walks in the game.

Up Next: The Dragons will host South Bend (5-13, 32-52) in the fourth game of the six-game series on Friday at 7:05 pm at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. T.J. Sikkema (2-2, 3.51) will start for Dayton against South Bend’s Drew Gray (0-4, 5.70). For ticket information, go to daytondragons.com/tickets or call (937) 228-2287.

On the Air: Dragons games Friday and Saturday of this week will be televised in the Miami Valley on Dayton’s CW (Channel 26; Spectrum Cable channels 13 and 1013). 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.