Masterman breaks out, but Dragons hold on

LANSING, Mich. – Cameron Masterman broke out of a slump with a home run, then catalyzed a last-ditch rally with an RBI triple in the ninth inn, but the Dayton Dragons (9-11) dragged out a 5-4 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts (9-11) on Saturday night at at Jackson® Field™.

Masterman had opened the year with four doubles in his first three games, but he was mired in a 2-for-31 slump before lasering a Jared Lyons pitch onto Home Run Hill to tie the game at 1-1 in the second inning.

Henry Bolte did the honors three innings later, tying the score at 2-2 with an RBI single, but a Carlos Jorge two-run homer off Grant Judkins in the eighth and a Leo Balcazar RBI single off Colton Johnson in the ninth gave the Dragons a 5-2 lead with three outs to play.

Euribiel Ángeles opened the bottom of the ninth with an infield single against Brody Jessee. Masterman followed with a drive high off the 20-foot tall center field wall, bringing the Lugnuts within 5-3. Carlos Amaya singled in Masterman to trim the deficit to one run, but Jose Escorche erased Amaya with a double-play grounder to third.

With two outs and the bases empty, Colby Halter bounced to second baseman Yan Contreras. Contreras’s throw, however, was dropped by first baseman Ruben Ibarra, bouncing away into foul ground. Halter attempted to race into scoring position, but pitcher Jessee fired to shortstop Leo Balcazar to tag out Halter at second base, ending the game.

Also ending: Will Simpson’s season-opening 17-game on-base streak following an 0-for-4 evening.

In a no-decision, Lansing starter Jake Garland struck out four and walked none while allowing two runs on three hits in five innings, needing only 55 pitches (42 strikes).

The Lugnuts will need a victory in the Sunday series finale to split the six-game set, sending lefty James González to the mound against Dayton right-hander Javi Rivera. Gates open at 12 noon with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch on a Capital City Market Kids Day, featuring postgame Kids Run the Bases and an Extra Inning with free ice cream and Big Lug at Capital City Market following the game. Tickets are available for purchase at the Jackson® Field™ box office, available for purchase at (517) 485-4500 or online at milb.com/lansing.

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