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Dayton Dragons

Ibarra, Arroyo Hit Home Runs While Dayton Pitchers Strike Out 18 in 2-1 Dragons' Win

August 31, 2023 - Midwest League (MWL)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Midland, Mich. - Ruben Ibarra's sixth inning home run broke a 1-1 tie and four Dayton pitchers combined to allow just four hits while striking out 18 batters as the Dragons defeated the Great Lakes Loons 2-1 on Thursday night.

The win combined with a West Michigan loss left the Dragons three and one-half games out of first place in the Midwest League East Division standings. There are nine games to play in the second half season.

Great Lakes scored an unearned run in the first inning but they were held without a run over the remainder of the game by the Dayton quartet of Jose Acuña, Brooks Crawford, Jayvien Sandridge, and Zach Maxwell. The Dragons tied the game in the third inning on a long home run by Edwin Arroyo, his 12th of the season. The homer by Arroyo had an exit velocity of 106 mph with an estimated distance of 425 feet.

With one out in the sixth, Ibarra smashed his second homer of the week, a drive to left field that gave the Dragons a 2-1 lead. The homer by Ibarra was his 15th of the season.

Meanwhile, Acuña, the Dayton starting pitcher, exited after three innings and 74 pitches. Crawford replaced him and fired two near-perfect innings, striking out three. Crawford faced the minimum six batters and allowed one man to reach base on single, but that runner was caught stealing.

After the homer by Ibarra, Sandridge entered the game worked two scoreless innings, striking out four without allowing a hit. He walked two. Maxwell replaced Sandridge to start the eighth and ran into immediate trouble, allowing a lead-off double, but he worked out of the jam and then pitched a scoreless ninth for the save. Maxwell struck out five in two innings, consistently firing fastballs at 98-99 mph while occasionally reaching 100 mph.

The Dragons finished with nine hits. Jack Rogers, Sal Stewart, and Justice Thompson each had two.

Notes: The Dragons have hit seven home runs in the first three games of the series. With three games still to play in the set, they have surpassed their total for any series since they hit nine at Great Lakes July 25-30. They have not reached 10 homers in a series in 2023.

Up Next: The Dragons (29-28, 62-61) battle Great Lakes (27-30, 72-50) in the fourth game of the six-game series on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Hunter Parks (3-6, 4.07) is scheduled to start for Dayton.

The Dragons will open their final homestand of the regular season on Tuesday, September 5 at 7:05 p.m. against the Fort Wayne TinCaps at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. The six-game home series with Fort Wayne will continue through Sunday, September 10. 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.

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