MWL Dayton Dragons

Rey Again Leads Dragons Offensive in Impressive Win at Great Lakes

Published on May 7, 2021 under Midwest League (MWL)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Midland, Mich. - Brian Rey (pronounced Ray) hit a home run and drove in four runs to lead the Dayton Dragons to a 9-5 victory over the Great Lakes Loons on Friday night. The Dragons have won three of the first four games played in the season-opening six-game series in Midland, Michigan.

Dragons pitchers combined to strikeout 18 batters in the game. The Dayton pitching staff has limited their opponents to a combined batting average of just .115 over the first four games.

Rey, who spent most of the 2019 season with the Dragons and broke a club record previously held by Joey Votto and Adam Dunn when he drove in eight runs in a game, has now blasted two home runs and driven in seven runs over his last three games. Hitting in the lead-off spot in the batting order, his three-run home run in the second inning lifted the Dragons to a 4-0 lead. Dayton eventually led 6-0 and then held off a Loons comeback effort the rest of the way.

The Dragons nine-hit attack featured three players who enjoyed multiple hit nights. Michael Siani, Quincy McAfee, and Jose Tello each had two hits. Siani, the Midwest League leader in stolen bases with the Dragons in 2019, stole his first two bases of the year. Tello had a double and two runs batted in, while McAfee raised his batting average to a team-leading .385. Jacob Hurtubise added an RBI double, two stolen bases, two runs scored, and a walk for Dayton.

The Dragons stole five bases in the game and have nine steals over their first four contest, led by Hurtubise with four.

The victory went to Dragons reliever Tyler Garbee (1-0), who went an inning and one-third without allowing a hit or a run with four strikeouts. Braxton Roxby earned his first career save, recording the final four outs with three strikeouts.

Great Lakes battled back from a six-run deficit to get within striking distance in the seventh inning when they cut the Dayton lead to 7-5 and had two runners on base with two outs, but Dayton reliever Eddy Demurias notched a strikeout to end the inning.

The Dragons battle the Loons again on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. in the fifth game of the six-game set. Ricky Salinas, a native of Houston and a product of Rice University, will start for the Dragons against Logan Boyer. The game can be heard on WONE 980 AM or via the Dragons Mobile App.

The Dragons will open their 21st home season on May 11 at 7:05 p.m. against the Lansing Lugnuts at Day Air Ballpark.

Notes: The game was played in three hours, 45 minutes, just 11 minutes short of the longest nine inning game in franchise history of 3:56. Tuesday night's game went 3:53...Top batting averages on the Dayton roster through four games belong to McAfee (.385), Rey (.364), and Siani (.297). Rey now leads the High-A Central League in runs batted in and is tied for the league lead in home runs pending late finals around the circuit.

Check out the Dayton Dragons Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from May 7, 2021


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