Dayton Dragons GameDay Notes for Saturday (1:05 PM at Great Lakes)
MWL Dayton Dragons

Dayton Dragons GameDay Notes for Saturday (1:05 PM at Great Lakes)

Published on April 18, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Dayton Dragons News Release


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Dragons GameDay Saturday, April 18, 2026 * Game # 13 Dow Diamond * Midland, Mich. * 1:05 pm Radio: Fox Sports 980 WONE TV: MLB App, MiLB TV, Bally Sports Live Ohio

Dayton Dragons (5-7) at Great Lakes Loons (9-4) RH Beau Blanchard (1-0, 4.22) vs. LH Zach Root (0-1, 9.82)

Today's Game: The Dayton Dragons (affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds) meet the Great Lakes Loons (affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers) in the fifth game of a six-game series.

Today's complete Game Notes and Stats packets are attached. For starting lineups, roster, media guide, and more, go to the Dragons Digital Pressbox at www.daytondragons.com/digitalpressbox

Last Game: Friday: Game 1: Dayton 8, Great Lakes 1. Game 2: Great Lakes 5, Dayton 4. In the first game, Carlos Sanchez led a 13-hit Dragons attack with three hits, three runs scored, and three stolen bases. Pitchers Luke Hayden (5 IP, 1 R) and Stephen Quigley (2 IP, 0 R) were outstanding. In the second game, the Dragons built a 4-0 lead only to see the Loons rally to win on a two-out, two-run double by Mike Sirota in the seventh. The Dragons committed five errors in the second game, most in a game since they had five on April 16, 2025 at Great Lakes (one year and one day ago).

G1: Hardest-hit fair ball by Dayton: Ariel Almonte, 113.6 mph. Fastest pitch by Dayton: Luke Hayden, 98.8 mph. G2: Hardest-hit fair ball by Dayton: Peyton Stovall, 105.0 mph. Fastest pitch by Dayton: Cody Adcock, 97.2 mph.

Current Series: Great Lakes 3, Dayton 1. The Dragons have outscored the Loons 17-14 despite losing three of four. Dayton is batting .236 as a team (.204 with runners in scoring position). They have no home runs, eight stolen bases, with a team ERA of 3.94 and six errors.

2026 Player and Team Notes:

* The Dragons have lost four of their last five games on the heels of a three-game winning streak. * In the Dragons last four losses, they are hitting .167 with runners in scoring position (7 for 42). In the last four wins, they are hitting .314 with RISP (16 for 51). * The Dragons bullpen ERA of 2.59 ranks first in all MiLB (120 teams). Overall, the Dragons rank second in the Midwest League in team ERA (3.63). Dayton starting pitchers rank seventh (4.58). * Ryan McCrystal is batting .353 to rank fifth in the MWL. He is seventh in RBI (10) and 15th in OPS (.954). * Carlos Sanchez stole four bases in Friday's doubleheader and has six steals on the year. He is batting .326 (12th in the MWL) and ranks tied for fourth in the MWL in runs scored, one behind the league leaders. * Alfredo Duno reached base with a hit or walk in his first eight games, but in the current series with Great Lakes, he is 1 for 13 with no walks. * The Dragons have scored at least four runs in seven of their last eight games, splitting those eight contests. Saturday, April 18, 2026 l Game # 13

Dow Diamond l Midland, Mich. l 1:05 pm

Radio: Fox Sports 980 WONE

TV: MLB App, MiLB TV, Bally Sports Live Ohio

Dayton Dragons (5-7) at Great Lakes Loons (9-4)

RH Beau Blanchard (1-0, 4.22) vs. LH Zach Root (0-1, 9.82)

Today's Game: The Dayton Dragons (affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds) meet the Great Lakes Loons (affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers) in the fifth game of a six-game series.

Last Game: Friday: Game 1: Dayton 8, Great Lakes 1. Game 2: Great Lakes 5, Dayton 4. In the first game, Carlos Sanchez led a 13-hit Dragons attack with three hits, three runs scored, and three stolen bases. Pitchers Luke Hayden (5 IP, 1 R) and Stephen Quigley (2 IP, 0 R) were outstanding. In the second game, the Dragons built a 4-0 lead only to see the Loons rally to win on a two-out, two-run double by Mike Sirota in the seventh. The Dragons committed five errors in the second game, most in a game since they had five on April 16, 2025 at Great Lakes (one year and one day ago).

G1: Hardest-hit fair ball by Dayton: Ariel Almonte, 113.6 mph. Fastest pitch by Dayton: Luke Hayden, 98.8 mph.

G2: Hardest-hit fair ball by Dayton: Peyton Stovall, 105.0 mph. Fastest pitch by Dayton: Cody Adcock, 97.2 mph.

Current Series: Great Lakes 3, Dayton 1. The Dragons have outscored the Loons 17-14 despite losing three of four. Dayton is batting .236 as a team (.204 with runners in scoring position). They have no home runs, eight stolen bases, with a team ERA of 3.94 and six errors.

2026 Player and Team Notes:

The Dragons have lost four of their last five games on the heels of a three-game winning streak.

In the Dragons last four losses, they are hitting .167 with runners in scoring position (7 for 42). In the last four wins, they are hitting .314 with RISP (16 for 51).

The Dragons bullpen ERA of 2.59 ranks first in all MiLB (120 teams). Overall, the Dragons rank second in the Midwest League in team ERA (3.63). Dayton starting pitchers rank seventh (4.58).

Ryan McCrystal is batting .353 to rank fifth in the MWL. He is seventh in RBI (10) and 15th in OPS (.954).

Carlos Sanchez stole four bases in Friday's doubleheader and has six steals on the year. He is batting .326 (12 th in the MWL) and ranks tied for fourth in the MWL in runs scored, one behind the league leaders.

Alfredo Duno reached base with a hit or walk in his first eight games, but in the current series with Great Lakes, he is 1 for 13 with no walks.

The Dragons have scored at least four runs in seven of their last eight games, splitting those eight contests.

Upcoming Probable Pitchers (Game times are Dayton time) (All games on WONE 980 AM)

Sunday, April 19 (1:05 pm): Dayton RH Nestor Lorant (0-2, 6.00) at Great Lakes RH Christian Zazueta (0-1, 4.70)

Tuesday, April 21 (7:05 pm): South Bend TBA at Dayton RH Reynardo Cruz (0-1, 3.00)

Wednesday, April 22 (7:05 pm): South Bend TBA at Dayton RH J.P. Ortiz (0-1, 7.27)

Series vs. South Bend Cubs includes games April 21-26 at Day Air Ballpark

How to Watch/Listen: Dragons radio broadcasts of all home and road games are also available on FOX Sports 980 WONE (980 AM), at daytondragons.com, and via the Dragons Mobile App. Additionally, the Dragons will televise 15 games locally over-the-air on Dayton's CW (Channel 26; Spectrum Cable channels 13 and 1013). First telecast is May 15. All 2026 home and road Dragons can be viewed free of charge on the Bally Sports Live app (look for Bally Live Ohio) or on the internet at Ballysportslive.com (click on Bally Sports Live Ohio or the MiLB Zone). All games are also available by subscription on the MLB App and the MiLB App. Games in Dayton will be Dragons productions; games on the road will be produced by the opposing team.

Dragons Ticket Information: daytondragons.com/tickets Dragons 2026 Schedule: milb.com/dayton/schedule

Check out the Dayton Dragons Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from April 18, 2026


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