QUAD CITIES 7, DRAGONS 2
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Quad Cities (R-H-E): 7-6-0; Dayton (R-H-E): 2-3-3
Win: Ethan McElvain (1-0); Loss: Ovis Portes (1-7); Save: None
HR: Dayton: Jacob Friend (11th, 1 on base in fifth inning). HR: Quad Cities: Derlin Figueroa (26th, 0 on base in fourth inning); Nolan Sailors (6th, 3 on base in seventh inning).
Dayton, Ohio—Nolan Sailors hit a seventh inning grand slam home run to lead the Quad Cities River Bandits to a 7-2 victory over the Dayton Dragons on Tuesday night. The game was the opener to a six-game series as the River Bandits earned their sixth straight win.
A crowd of 7,564 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.
Recap: Quad Cities got the scoring started with a run in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of two Dayton errors to take a 1-0 lead. In the fourth inning, the River Bandits added two more runs, getting a solo home run from Midwest League home run leader Derlin Figueroa, his 26th of year to make it 2-0. They added another run later in the inning on a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
The Dragons pulled to within a run in the fifth when Alfredo Alcantara blooped a single to center and Jacob Friend brought him in with a long home run to center field to make it 3-2.
But the Dragons did not collect another hit over the remainder of the game. Quad Cities scored four runs in the seventh to extend their lead to 7-2 and close out the scoring.
Dragons starting pitcher Ovis Portes worked the first three innings, allowing just one unearned run on one hit with no walks and six strikeouts.
The first man out of the bullpen, Andrew Shaffner, had a rough night, lasting just two-thirds of an inning while allowing two runs on two hits with two walks, a hit batter, and one strikeout.
Jordan Little replaced Shaffner to get the final out with the bases loaded in the fourth inning. Little worked three innings, allowing one hit and two walks with five strikeouts. He left the game with two outs and three men on base in the seventh and was eventually charged with three runs when the pitcher who replaced him, Jimmy Romano, surrendered a grand slam home run on the first pitch he threw to Nolan Sailors that extended the Quad Cities lead to 7-2.
Romano worked the final two and one-third innings, allowing two hits and one run with no walks and four strikeouts. The run allowed by Romano was his first since mid-June, ending a scoreless streak of 13 innings.
Each team had 16 strikeouts in the game. The Dragons collected just three hits including the home run by Friend along with singles by Alcantara and John Michael Faile.
Up Next: The Dragons (20-27, 59-54) continue their six-game series with Quad Cities (29-18, 59-51) on Wednesday night at 7:05 pm at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. Deivi Villafana (0-2, 5.51) will start for Dayton. 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.