DRAGONS 7, GREAT LAKES 5
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Dayton (R-H-E): 7-9-0; Great Lakes (R-H-E): 5-7-1
Win: Luke Hayden (2-1); Loss: Robby Porco (3-1); Save: Trent Hodgdon (5)
HR: Dayton: Mason Neville (4th, 0 on base in third inning); Peyton Stovall (8th, 1 on base in fifth inning). HR: Great Lakes: Chase Harlan (3rd, 0 on base in sixth inning).
**Midland, Mich.**—Dayton’s Peyton Stovall went 4 for 4 with a home run and four runs batted in while Mason Neville added a home run and double as the Dragons defeated the Great Lakes Loons 7-5 on Friday night. The Dayton win snapped their season-high five-game losing streak.
The Loons have won three of the first four games in the series, which will continue Saturday night and Sunday afternoon before the teams pause for the all-star break.
Recap: The Dragons took an early lead in the top of the first inning as the first three Dayton batters reached base to load the bases. Singles by Peyton Stovall, Julio Carreras, and Ryan McCrystal followed by a run-scoring fielder’s choice off the bat of Jacob Friend gave Dayton a 1-0 lead. The Dragons added another run in the third when Mason Neville hit a rocket out of the ballpark to right field, a blast that registered 112 mph off the bat for his fourth homer with the Dragons and 13th of the year in the Reds organization to make it 2-0.
Great Lakes tied the game with two runs in the fourth, but the Dragons jumped back again in the top of the fifth when Neville walked and Stovall followed with a two-run home run to right field, his eighth homer of the year, to make it 4-2. Great Lakes picked up single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game at 4-4.
The Dragons regained the lead in the top of the seventh when Neville doubled to left and eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-4. The Loons again came back to even the scored with one run in the bottom of the seventh to make it 5-5.
But the Dragons took the lead for good in the top of the eighth. With one out, three consecutive Dayton batters drew walks to load the bases, and Stovall followed with a line drive single to center field to drive in two runs and give the Dragons a 7-5 lead.
Dragons reliever Trent Hodgdon entered the game to start the bottom of the eighth and retired all six batters he faced, including four on strikeouts, to earn his fifth save.
The Dragons finished the night with nine hits. Along with Stovall’s 4 for 4 performance, Neville was 2 for 2 with a home run, double, two walks, and three runs scored. Carreras was 2 for 4.
Up Next: The Dragons (8-10, 47-37) battle the Loons (13-5, 49-33) again on Saturday night in Midland, Michigan in the fifth game of a six-game series. Ty Floyd (0-2, 6.23) will start for the Dragons against Tyler Gough (1-0, 0.00) of Great Lakes.
The next Dragons home game at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District is Tuesday, July 21 when the Dragons host the Cedar Rapids Kernels 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.