Dragons Come from Behind, Walk-Off Kernels 6-5
Published on July 22, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release
DAYTON, Ohio - Dayton fought back from down three runs in the seventh to walk off Cedar Rapids Wednesday night 6-5 on a ninth-inning Ryan McCrystal RBI single.
After playing from behind most of the game on Tuesday, the Dragons opened the scoring Wednesday. With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, Julio Carreras lifted a solo home run to right to put Dayton ahead 1-0.
Cedar Rapids pulled even in the top of the second. Jose Salas walked to open the inning and scored from first a batter later on a Miguel Briceno RBI double to tie the game 1-1.
In the third, the Kernels took their first lead. Yasser Mercedes ripped a double to begin the frame and scored two batters later on an Enrique Jimenez RBI single to put Cedar Rapids in front 2-1.
In the bottom of the inning, Dayton responded. Esmith Pineda singled to start the inning and scored all the way from first on a Johnny Ascanio RBI double to even the score, 2-2.
That stayed the score until the top of the sixth inning. Cedar Rapids loaded the bases on a Briceno single, a Dameury Pena hit-by-pitch and a Graham Brown base hit. Two batters later, a Yasser Mercedes RBI single put the Kernels back ahead 3-2.
They extended the lead in the top of the seventh. A walk followed by a fielder's choice put a runner on for Jose Salas, who lined a two-run home run to right to grow the advantage to 5-2.
The Dragons rallied back from there. First, in the seventh, a walk and a hit put two runners aboard for Ascanio, who brought Dayton within two with an RBI single. Then, in the eighth, Carreras singled to begin the inning, getting aboard for Jacob Friend, who smashed a game-tying two-run home run to tie the game 5-5.
After the Kernels went scoreless in the top of the ninth, pinch-hitting Mason Neville worked a walk to begin the bottom of the inning. After a groundout and an intentional walk put two runners on, Ryan McCrystal lined an RBI single to right to walk off the game for the Dragons for the second straight night in a 6-5 Dayton win.
The loss drops the Kernels to 37-53 on the season and to 6-20 in the second half. The series in Dayton continues Thursday at 6:05 with Kolten Smith on the mound for Cedar Rapids opposite Luke Hayden.
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