FORT WAYNE 9, DRAGONS 6
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Fort Wayne (R-H-E): 9-12-2; Dayton (R-H-E): 6-8-3
Win: Brandon Langley (1-0); Loss: Andrew Shaffner (0-2); Save: Jefferson Villabona (1)
HR: Dayton: Jacob Friend (12th, 0 on base in second inning); John Michael Faile (11th, 0 on base in third inning); Justin Lebron (6th, 1 on base in sixth inning). HR: Fort Wayne: None
**Fort Wayne, Ind.**—The Fort Wayne TinCaps overcame a 6-4 deficit with four runs in the seventh inning to defeat the Dayton Dragons 9-6 on Friday night. The Fort Wayne win was their first in the series and snapped the Dragons three-game winning streak.
Dayton’s John Michael Faile belted a home run in the game, the 28th of his Dragons career, just two short of the club record set by Chris Williamson from 2000-02.
Recap: Dayton base hits by Ty Doucette and John Michael Faile coupled with a Fort Wayne error brought in the first run of the game in the top of the first inning, and the Dragons added a run in the second on a solo home run by Jacob Friend. The homer by Friend was his 12th with the Dragons and his 21st of the year in the Reds farm system.
Fort Wayne scored two runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game, but Faile blasted a long home run to left center field in the third, his 11th of the year, to give the Dragons a 3-2 lead.
Fort Wayne scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning against Dayton starting pitcher JP Ortiz to take a 4-3 lead. Ortiz left the game after four and one-third innings, allowing seven hits and four runs with two walks and five strikeouts.
In the top of the sixth, the Dragons regained the lead, scoring one run on an error before Justin Lebron drilled a long two-run home run to left field estimated at 425 feet to put Dayton in front, 6-4. The homer was Lebron’s sixth in 15 games for the Dragons.
After a strong relief appearance by Stephen Quigley, the Dragons held their 6-4 lead going to the bottom of the seventh. The Dragons had two big defensive miscues in the inning, a dropped fly ball in right field by Esmith Pineda, and a costly throwing error by third baseman Tyson Lewis on a play that would have ended the inning. Dayton reliever Andrew Shaffner entered the game with two outs in the inning and allowed three hits and a walk as Fort Wayne scored four runs, all unearned, to take an 8-6 lead. The TinCaps added another run against Shaffner in the eighth to close out the scoring. Shaffner (0-2) suffered the loss, working one and one-third innings and allowing four hits and four runs with two walks.
The Dragons finished the night with eight hits. Faile had two hits including the home run. He needs two home runs over the team’s final eight games to match the club record for career homers.
Up Next: The Dragons (24-32, 63-59) continue the six-game series in Fort Wayne on Saturday night at 6:35 with game five of the set against the TinCaps (24-32, 51-71). Mason Morris, the Reds third round draft pick in 2025 out of the University of Mississippi, will make his High-A debut and start for the Dragons.
The next Dragons home game is Tuesday, September 1 at 7:05 pm against the West Michigan Whitecaps at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District. 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.