MWL Dayton Dragons

Whitecaps Spoil Big Comeback by Dragons; West Michigan Wins 9-7

Published on May 29, 2022 under Midwest League (MWL)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Grand Rapids, Mich.-West Michigan's Colt Keith delivered a two-out, game-winning home run to break a 7-7 tie in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Whitecaps to a 9-7 victory over the Dayton Dragons on Sunday night. The Dragons completed their road trip with a 4-2 record in West Michigan.

The Dragons battled back from a first inning 7-2 deficit, gradually cutting into West Michigan's lead while keeping the Whitecaps from adding runs. The Dragons trailed 7-6 going to the ninth inning but produced a run to tie the game before Keith won it for West Michigan in the bottom of the same inning.

The Dragons are in first place in the Midwest League East Division, five games ahead of second place Great Lakes (pending Great Lakes' Sunday night game) with 22 games to play in the first half season.

Game Recap: The Dragons scored two runs in the top of the first inning, getting a two-run single from Alex McGarry with one out, before West Michigan exploded for seven runs on seven hits in the bottom of the first to take a 7-2 lead.

The Dragons began a persistent comeback in the second inning after back-to-back doubles by Garrett Wolforth and Nick Quintana set up an RBI ground out by Jose Torres to make it 7-3. They added two more runs in the sixth, keyed by an RBI single by Elly De La Cruz and McGarry's run-scoring ground out to make it 7-5. In the seventh, they pulled to within one run when Quintana singled in Mat Nelson from second base with two outs to run the score to 7-6.

Rece Hinds led off the top of the ninth with a double off the left field fence. With one out, Nelson drove him in with a single to left field to tie the game at 7-7.

Dragons reliever Carson Rudd (1-2) struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth before allowing a two-out bloop single to center, followed by Keith's long home run to right to end the game.

The Dragons finished the night with 14 hits. Hinds was 3 for 5 with a double. Torres, De La Cruz, Nelson, and Quintana all had two hits.

Dragons starting pitcher James Proctor allowed seven runs in the first inning but rebounded to give the club a chance to come back, working into the fifth inning without surrendering another run. Reliever Manuel Cachutt relieved Proctor and tossed three and one-third hitless innings, allowing no runs and only one base runner.

Notes: Sunday's game completed the Dragons eighth series of the season. They have won seven sets and split one. Sunday's game also marked the one-third mark of the 2022 season.

Up Next: The Dragons do not play on Monday. They return home to host the South Bend Cubs on Tuesday, May 31 at 7:05 p.m. at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. Joe Boyle (2-0, 0.53) is scheduled to start for Dayton on Tuesday. For ticket information, go to daytondragons.com 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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Midwest League Stories from May 29, 2022


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