LAKE COUNTY 16, DRAGONS 6
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Lake County (R-H-E): 16-10-1; Dayton (R-H-E): 6-12-0
Win: Logan McGuire (1-0); Loss: Stephen Quigley (2-1); Save: None
HR: Dayton: Alfredo Duno (5th, 1 on base in 1st inning). HR: Lake County: Luke Hill, 2 (6th, 0 on base in 5th inning; 7th, 1 on base in 7th inning); Aaron Walton (7th, 1 on base in 8th inning); Nolan Schubart (6th, 3 on base in 9th inning).
Dayton, Ohio—Luke Hill collected four hits including two home runs to lead the Lake County Captains to a 16-6 victory over the Dayton Dragons on Wednesday night. Lake County has won the first two games of the six-game series in Dayton.
A crowd of 7,444 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.
Game Recap:
Alfredo Duno got Dayton on the board with a bottom of the first inning two-run home run to right field, handing the Dragons a 2-1 lead. The home run was Duno’s fifth of the season and second in as many nights.
Lake County answered with a four-run top of the third inning to jump ahead 6-2. The Captains sent 10 batters to the plate in the frame. Lake County’s Dean Curley and Luke Hill each collected run-producing singles off Dragons starter Ovis Portes, who also walked in Ryan Cesarini during the inning. Dragons reliever Graham Osman replaced Portes with two outs and issued another bases loaded walk for the fourth run of the inning.
Portes, in his first career home start with the Dragons, threw two and two-thirds innings, allowing five runs on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts.
The Dragons evened the contest in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases loaded and two out, Carter Graham walked to force in a run off Captains reliever Logan McGuire to make it 6-3. The next batter, Yerlin Confidan, tied the game with a three-run double off the center field wall. It was Confidan’s ninth extra base hit in his last 17 games.
Lake County retook the lead in the top of the fifth inning when Hill hit a solo home run over the right field wall off Dayton reliever Stephen Quigley. Then in the seventh, Hill cranked two-run blast down the right field line against Dragons reliever Victor Diaz to extend Lake County’s lead to 9-6.
The Captains added three more runs in the eighth. Following a leadoff walk, Aaron Walton sent a towering two-run shot over the left field wall off Diaz. Later in the inning, Hill ripped an RBI single to right field, making it 12-6.
Lake County closed the scoring with a Nolan Schubart grand slam in the top of the ninth off Dayton’s Drew Pestka.
Dayton finished the night with 12 hits. Jack Moss had three hits while Confidan and Alfredo Alcantara each had two.
The three hour, 21 minute game was Dayton’s longest of the season.
Up Next: The Dragons (19-16) host the Captains (17-17) again on Thursday night at 7:05 pm at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District in the third game of a six-game series. Midwest League Pitcher of the Week Nestor Lorant (2-2, 2.05) will start for Dayton against Lake County’s Braylon Doughty (1-2, 3.44). 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.