Dragons Erase 5-Run Deficit, Earn Walk-Off Win over Cubs in 9th Inning, 7-6
Dragons 7, South Bend 6 Click here for the box score Dayton (R-H-E): 7-9-0; South Bend (R-H-E): 6-8-1 Win: John Murphy (3-0); Loss: Ben Leeper (0-1); Save: None HR: Dayton: None HR: South Bend: Ethan Hearn (4th, 1 on base in first inning). Dayton, Ohio—Leo Balcazar’s base hit to center
Dragons 7, South Bend 6
Click here for the box score
Dayton (R-H-E): 7-9-0; South Bend (R-H-E): 6-8-1
Win: John Murphy (3-0); Loss: Ben Leeper (0-1); Save: None
HR: Dayton: None HR: South Bend: Ethan Hearn (4th, 1 on base in first inning).
Dayton, Ohio—Leo Balcazar’s base hit to center field brought in Carlos Jorge from second base with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Dayton Dragons defeated the South Bend Cubs 7-6. The Dragons battled back from a mid-game 6-1 deficit to win their fifth straight game. They will try to complete a sweep of the six-game series on Sunday afternoon.
A crowd of 8,368 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. The Dragons improved their second half record to 13-7 and increased their lead over West Michigan for the second half playoff position to two and one-half games.
Leo walks it off and we are flipping out! It's a party in Dayton! 🎉🎉🕺🕺 #FeelTheFire pic.twitter.com/oeXaQqmQ3x
— Dayton Dragons (@DragonsBaseball) July 14, 2024
South Bend scored four runs in the top of the first inning, knocking Dayton starter Gabriel Aguilera out of the game, and forcing the Dragons bullpen to extended use.
Dayton scored in the third on Jorge’s two-out, run-scoring ground rule double to make it 4-1, but the Cubs responded with two runs in the fourth to build their lead to 6-1.
The Dragons started back in the fourth when Logan Tanner doubled with one out and scored on a two-out single by Victor Acosta to make it 6-2.
In the sixth, the Dragons posted a big inning to pull to within one run. Jay Allen II began the inning by drawing a walk and advanced to third on Tanner’s single. Allen scored when Ethan O’Donnell grounded into a double play to make it 6-3. With two outs in the same inning, Acosta walked and Cade Hunter singled to center to move Acosta to third. Sal Stewart followed with a two-run double to right-center to make it 6-5.
The Dragons tied the game in the eighth. O’Donnell reached on a bunt single and Acosta was hit by a pitch to move O’Donnell to second. After a double steal, O’Donnell scored on wild pitch to even the score at 6-6.
In the bottom of the ninth, Jorge doubled off the right field wall to begin the inning. The next batter, Balcazar, looped a single to center. Jorge beat the throw to the plate to give the Dragons their fourth walk-off win of the year.
The victory went to John Murphy (3-0), who pitched a perfect top of the ninth. But the Dragons bullpen trio of Joseph Menefee, Arij Fransen, and Murphy combined to go eight and one-third innings. The only two runs allowed by the relievers came against Menefee in the fourth.
The Dragons finished with nine hits. Jorge and Tanner each had two.
Notes: The Dragons are eight games over .500 in full-season record (47-39) for the first time since July 9, 2022 when they held a record of 44-36.
Up Next: The Dragons will close out the series with South Bend (5-15, 32-54) on Sunday at 1:05 pm at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. Mason Pelio out of Boston College, who joined the Dragons earlier this week, will make his Midwest League debut against South Bend’s Ty Johnson (0-3, 4.64). 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.