Loons Break Tie in 8th, Edge Dragons 3-2 on Wednesday

Great Lakes 3, Dragons 2

Click here for the box score

Great Lakes (R-H-E): 3-7-0; Dayton (R-H-E): 2-6-1

Win: Livan Reinoso (4-2); Loss: Pedro Alfonseca (0-2); Save: Lucas Wepf (7)

HR: Dayton: None; HR: Great Lakes: None

Dayton, Ohio—The Great Lakes Loons broke a 2-2 tie with one run in the eighth inning and held on to defeat the Dayton Dragons 3-2 on Wednesday night. The teams have split the first two games of the series.

A crowd of 7,692 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.

The Dragons lost starting pitcher Johnathan Harmon with one out in the top of the first inning when Harmon was forced to leave the game with an apparent arm injury. Harmon, the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 3-9, signaled for the trainer after throwing a pitch to the fourth batter of the game and walked off the mound in obvious discomfort after a brief conversation.

Game Summary:

Great Lakes scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead. Loons starting pitcher Jackson Ferris allowed just two hits and no runs over five innings of work.

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Dragons got their offense going. Leo Balcazar lined a single to left field to start the rally, and Ethan O’Donnell was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Logan Tanner then delivered a soft line drive single to shallow center field to drive in Balcazar and move O’Donnell to third. Victor Acosta grounded into a double play as O’Donnell scored to tie the game at 2-2.

But the Loons broke the tie in the eighth. A catcher’s interference call put the lead-off man on base, and a hit batsman put runners at first and second with no outs. Reliever John Murphy entered the game for the Dragons and walked the first man he faced to load the bases. Murphy got an infield pop out for the first out of the inning, but a sacrifice fly off the bat of Noah Miller brought in the go-ahead run and gave Great Lakes a 3-2 lead.

The Dragons had chances in the bottom of the eighth inning and again in the ninth. In the eighth, Carlos Jorge singled with one out and stole second. But Sal Stewart grounded out to the pitcher, and Cam Collier struck out to end the threat. In the ninth, Ethan O’Donnell doubled with one out, but Logan Tanner struck out for the second out, and Victor Acosta went down swinging to end the game.

The Dragons finished the night with six hits. Tanner was 2 for 4 with a single and double.

Notes: The Dragons stole six bases in the game, their highest total since they stole six bases at West Michigan on April 18, 2023.

Up Next: The Dragons (29-30) host Great Lakes (32-26) in the third game of the six-game series at Day Air Ballpark on Thursday at 7:05 pm. Bryce Hubbart (1-3, 6.34) will start for Dayton against Christian Romero (2-2, 1.86). 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.