The Cincinnati Reds welcomed residents and representatives from the City of Dayton for the inaugural Dayton Day at Great American Ball Park on Wednesday night.

The event was a celebration of the city and its connection to Reds baseball, as the Gem City is the longtime home of the Reds’ High-A affiliate Dayton Dragons. Dayton Mayor Jeffrey J. Mims, Jr. threw out a ceremonial first pitch to Reds catcher Mark Kolozsvary and was joined by several dignitaries and members of the Dayton community for other pregame ceremonies. Dragons mascots Heater and Gem also made an appearance, and all fans had the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets to see the Reds defeat the Miami Marlins.

“We are so grateful to the Dayton Dragons for delivering their unique brand of fun throughout our ballpark last night,” said Phil Castellini, Reds president and chief operating officer. “And the Reds were honored to host the Dayton Mayor, City Manager, Police Chief, Public School Superintendent, Fire Chief and many other business leaders who were guests of the Dragons.”

The Dragons have served as one of the Reds’ Minor League affiliates since the team was relocated from Rockford, Ill., to Dayton in 2000. Operating at the Single-A level for the first 20 years, the Dragons are now the organization’s High-A farm team after Minor League Baseball’s restructuring in 2021.

No matter the level, Dayton has always proudly represented Reds Country and embraced their local team as much as any city in the country. The Dragons still boast the record for consecutive sellouts and are adding to that record with every home game played. Currently, Day Air Ballpark (formerly known as Fifth Third Field) has hosted 1,424 straight sellouts.

“The community has just been fantastic in supporting what we do there,” said Robert Murphy, Dayton Dragons president & general manager. “The sellout streak continues, and our community is very proud of that.”

For any Cincinnati residents thinking of making the short trip up I-75 to see the Dragons, it’s well worth the drive. Expect a first-class experience, both on and off the field. Currently, five of the Top 10 Reds prospects according to MLB Pipeline are playing for the Dragons. And there are always family-friendly events and promotions to check out at the ballpark.

“We have very exciting players coming up through the system that are going to end up playing in Cincinnati,” Murphy said. “So you get to see Reds prospects in a very intimate setting. We also work to build an unsurpassed customer service experience and entertainment experience. We want people to have fun with family and friends and just enjoy a great night out.”