DRAGONS 5, CEDAR RAPIDS 3
Click here for the box score
Dayton (R-H-E): 5-3-0; Cedar Rapids (R-H-E): 3-4-6
Win: Victor Diaz (2-0); Loss: Kolten Smith (0-2); Save: Trent Hodgdon (6)
HR: Dayton: Victor Acosta (4th, 0 on base in fourth inning). HR: Cedar Rapids: Eduardo Tait (18th, 0 on base in eighth inning).
Dayton, Ohio—Dayton’s Victor Acosta belted a home run, added a triple, walk, two stolen bases, and three runs scored as the Dragons defeated the Cedar Rapids Kernels 5-3 on Thursday night. The win was the fourth straight overall for the Dragons and their third straight to start the series with the Kernels.
A crowd of 7,690 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.
The Dragons tied a team record with eight stolen bases in the game, matching the record set in 2009 and again in 2017. Acosta, Tyson Lewis, Marcus Smith, and Peyton Stovall each had two.
Recap: The Dragons took advantage of six Cedar Rapids errors over the course of the night. In the first inning, Dayton started the scoring with one run when Jacob Friend was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 1-0. Two Dayton batters reached base as a result of errors in the inning.
In the second, Victor Acosta lined a triple into the left field corner and scored on the same play when the relay through into third bounced away and allowed Acosta to race to the plate and make it 2-0.
Cedar Rapids scored their first run in the top of the third, but Acosta delivered for Dayton again in the fourth when he blasted a solo home run to right field, his fourth homer of the year, to make it 3-1.
Cedar Rapids pushed another run across in the top of the fifth to make it 3-2, but the Dragons responded again in the bottom of the same inning when Tyson Lewis reached on an error, stole second, went to third on a balk, and scored on a wild pitch to extend the Dragons lead to 4-2.
The Kernels again pulled to within a run in the top of the eighth on a solo home run by Eduardo Tait, his 18th of the year, to make it 4-3. The Dragons got the run back in the bottom of the eighth when Acosta walked, stole second and third, and scored on another error to put Dayton in front 5-3.
Dragons starter Luke Hayden went four and two-thirds innings, allowing three hits and two runs with two walks and six strikeouts. Victor Diaz (2-0) replaced Hayden and retired all seven batters he faced including five strikeouts to earn the win. Trent Hodgdon recorded the save, his sixth of the year, working the final two innings and allowing one hit and one run with four strikeouts.
Hodgdon has had an exceptional month of July. In four appearances, he has earned three saves and a victory while allowing only one hit and one run in eight and one-third innings. He gave credit to others:
“(Credit goes to) all the stuff we do outside of the field, honestly. The recovery is a huge part. We have incredible people that are willing to help us every single day. From Dom (Cothern) in the weight room to Sam (Tedtman) in the training room, and then we've obviously got Willie (Blair) our pitching coach. The whole staff just kind of helps and then just taking care of your day-by-day stuff.”
The Dragons had only three hits, but Acosta had a huge game, going 2 for 3 with a home run, triple, three runs scored, and two stolen bases.
Up Next: The Dragons (12-13, 51-40) host the Kernels (6-21, 37-54) again on Friday night at 7:05 pm at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District in the fourth game of a six-game series. Deivi Villafana, just promoted to Dayton this week from Single-A Daytona, will make his first start for the Dragons. Adrian Bohorquez (0-0, 6.88) will start for Cedar Rapids. For ticket information, go to daytondragons.com/tickets or call (937) 228-2287.
On the Air: Dragons games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 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.