LAKE COUNTY 5, DRAGONS 1
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Lake County (R-H-E): 5-12-0; Dayton (R-H-E): 1-4-1
Win: Xavier Martinez (3-0); Loss: Stephen Quigley (5-3); Save: None HR: Dayton: Justin Lebron (1st, 0 on base in fourth inning). HR: Lake County: Garrett Howe (3rd, 1 on base in eighth inning).
Eastlake, Ohio—Lake County’s Garrett Howe hit a two-run home run to break a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Captains went on to defeat the Dayton Dragons 5-1 on Friday night. Lake County has won four of the first five games in a seven-game series.
Recap: The game evolved as a pitcher’s duel between Dayton starter Kyle McCoy and Lake County’s Jacob Zibin. The Captains scored one run in the first inning before the Dragons evened the score in the fourth on a long home run to left field by Justin Lebron. The homer was the first of the professional career for Lebron, the Cincinnati Reds first round draft pick last month.
The score remained tied at 1-1 until the eighth inning. McCoy worked five and one-third innings, allowing seven hits and one run with three walks and one strikeout. He left the game with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth inning as Drew Pestka entered in a tough spot. Pestka got a strikeout and groundout to end the threat, and then pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh to keep the score tied.
Stephen Quigley entered the game to pitch for the Dragons in the bottom of the eighth and allowed a lead-off double before Garrett Howe belted a two-run home run to right field to break the tie and give the Captains a 3-1 lead.
The inning continued with a dropped pop-up for an error by Dayton third baseman Tyson Lewis, and the Captains took advantage by adding two more runs in the frame, both unearned, to build their lead to 5-1.
The Dragons had just one hit after the fourth inning and finished the night with only four hits. Lebron’s homer and a double by John Michael Faile were the only extra base hits.
Up Next: The Dragons (19-26, 58-53) continue their series at Lake County on Saturday at 7:00 pm against the Captains (22-23, 60-50). JP Ortiz (4-1, 5.84) is the Dragons scheduled starting pitcher. The series will conclude on Sunday, August 16 at 1:00 pm.
The next home game at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District in Tuesday, August 18 against the Quad Cities River Bandits at 7:05 pm. 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.