CEDAR RAPIDS 10, DRAGONS 7
Click here for the box score
Cedar Rapids (R-H-E): 10-15-2; Dayton (R-H-E): 7-10-2
Win: Xavier Kohlhosser (3-3); Loss: Trent Hodgdon (1-3); Save: Christian Becerra (2)
HR: Dayton: Julio Carreras (3rd, 0 on base in fourth inning); Tyson Lewis (5th, 0 on base in seventh inning).   HR: Cedar Rapids: Yasser Mercedes (8th, 2 on base in ninth inning); Henry Kusiak (3rd, 2 on base in ninth inning).
Dayton, Ohio—The Cedar Rapids Kernels scored six runs in the ninth inning to overcome a 7-4 deficit as they defeated the Dayton Dragons 10-7 on Sunday afternoon. The Kernels, who trailed 6-1 after six innings, snapped the Dragons six-game winning streak and salvaged their only win of the six-game series.
A crowd of 7,782 was in attendance at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.
Recap: The Dragons built a 6-1 lead over the first six innings, thanks to a consistent offensive attack as they scored runs in nearly every inning. Julio Carreras delivered a long home run to center field in the fourth inning, Tyson Lewis had a run-scoring single in the fifth, and Dayton starting pitcher Ty Floyd worked four strong innings, allowing just two hits and an unearned run with two walks and four strikeouts. Floyd allowed a single with one out in the fourth, breaking a string of 11 straight no-hit innings for the former supplemental first round draft pick out of LSU who has battled a series of injuries.
Cedar Rapids scored three runs on four hits against Dayton reliever David Lorduy in the top of the seventh inning to cut the Dayton lead to 6-4. Lewis responded with a tremendous blast for a home run in the bottom of the second, a drive that traveled over 430’ to right field to make it 7-4. The homer was the fifth for Lewis in his 19 games with the Dragons and his third in the last three days.
Neither team scored in the eighth inning as Dayton reliever Victor Diaz entered the game with two men in scoring position and one out before working out of the jam to keep the Dragons advantage at three runs.Â
Diaz went back out for the top of the ninth to try to close out the game with a 7-4 lead. But Diaz allowed hits to two of the first hitters in the inning, then surrendered a game-tying three-run home run to Yasser Mercedes with one out to even the score at 7-7. Trent Hodgdon replaced Mercedes and struck out the first batter he faced before giving up back-to-back singles. The next hitter, Henry Kusiak belted a three-run home run to left-center field to put Cedar Rapids in front, 10-7. The Dragons were not able to get the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth.
Dayton finished with 10 hits. Lewis had his fourth three-hit game of the six-game series. John Michael Faile and Esmith Pineda each had two hits.
Cedar Rapids scored nine runs over the final three innings against the Dayton bullpen, plating three runs against three different pitchers. Hodgdon (1-3) suffered the loss as he was charged with three runs in two-thirds of an inning.
Up Next: The Dragons (14-14, 53-41) do not play on Monday. They will open a six-game road series on Tuesday night at 7:30 pm in Davenport, Iowa against the Quad Cities River Bandits (15-13, 45-46). JP Ortiz will get the start for the Dragons.Â
The next Dragons home game at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District is Tuesday, August 4 against the Great Lakes Loons 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.