MWL Dayton Dragons

De la Cruz Blasts 10th Home Run in Dayton 6-2 Win

June 4, 2022 - Midwest League (MWL)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, Ohio - Elly De La Cruz hit his 10th home run of the season and three Dayton pitchers combined to allow just five hits as the Dragons defeated the South Bend Cubs 6-2 on Saturday night. The Dragons have won four of five games played in the series so far. The set will conclude on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.

A crowd of 8,252 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.

The Dragons improved their record to 34-15 on the season. They are in first place, seven and one-half games ahead of the Great Lakes Loons in the Midwest League East Division with 17 games to play. The Dragons "magic number" to eliminate Great Lakes from the first half playoff race is 10 (any combination of Dayton wins and Great Lakes losses totaling 10 over the final 17 games would eliminate Great Lakes). The Dragons "magic number" to eliminate third place Lake County is nine.

Game Recap: South Bend scored in the top of the first inning before the Dragons put together a string of six straight unanswered runs. Dayton tied the game in the bottom of the first on a solo home run by Elly De La Cruz, who connected on his 10th homer of the year and extended his hitting streak to 12 straight games.

The Dragons took the lead for good in the second when Nick Quintana lined a double to the left field bullpen to drive in Garrett Wolforth from first base and make it 2-1. The Dragons scored three runs after two men were out in the fourth. Quintana delivered a run-scoring single, Justice Thompson added an RBI hit, and another run scored on an error as the Dragons took a 5-1 lead. Dayton scored again in the eighth when Wolforth ripped a double to left-center field and scored from second on a wild pitch to make it 6-1. South Bend scored one run in the ninth to close out the scoring.

Dragons starting pitcher Christian Roa (1-1) enjoyed his best performance of the year, going five innings and allowing just one unearned run on four hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

Myles Gayman replaced Roa to start the sixth and fired three perfect innings, retiring all nine batters he faced without allowing a ball to leave the infield. Gayman struck out two. Donovan Benoit pitched the ninth, allowing one hit and one run with a strikeout.

The Dragons collected nine hits. Quintana and De La Cruz each had two.

Up Next: The Dragons host South Bend on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at Day Air Ballpark to close out the series. James Proctor (3-2, 4.83) will start for Dayton. For ticket information, go to daytondragons.com or call (937) 228-2287.

On the Air: The games against South Bend on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon at 1:05 will be televised 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.

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