Dayton Dragons drop early lead, Whitecaps score four runs in seventh inning to earn 6-3 victory

Dragons manager Vince Harrison Jr. takes the ball from starter Jose Montero in the third inning Thursday night at Day Air Ballpark. Montero allowed five runs and took the loss. Jeff Gilbert/CONTRIBUTED

Dragons manager Vince Harrison Jr. takes the ball from starter Jose Montero in the third inning Thursday night at Day Air Ballpark. Montero allowed five runs and took the loss. Jeff Gilbert/CONTRIBUTED

The West Michigan Whitecaps scored four runs in the seventh inning as they overcame an early 3-0 deficit to defeat the Dayton Dragons 6-3 on Wednesday afternoon at LMCU Ballpark.

After leading eight of the nine innings in the series opener on Tuesday, the Dragons came out Wednesday afternoon and took a quick lead that they held into the late innings. Carter Graham singled with two outs in the top of the first inning and scored all the way from first base on a double by Anthony Stephan and an error that allowed for an extra base to be taken as the Dragons went in front 1-0.

In the fourth inning, the Dragons scored two more runs. Victor Acosta walked, went to second on a single by Peyton Stovall, and scored on John Michael Faile’s single. Stovall scored on a sacrifice fly by Ariel Almonte to make it 3-0.

The Whitecaps scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pull to within a run at 3-2 going to the seventh.

West Michigan scored quickly in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game, and then loaded the bases with two outs, tied 3-3. Jack Penney delivered a two-out, two-run single against Dayton reliever Jonah Hurney (3-4) to make it 5-3, and another run scored on an error, the first by the Dragons over their last eight games. Dayton did not advance a runner past first base over the final five innings of the game.

Hurney endured a rough seventh inning and was charged with the loss. Hurney worked two innings, surrendering four runs (three earned) on five hits with two strikeouts.

Dayton starter Nick Sando pitched well, working five good innings while allowing just three hits and one run with two walks and four strikeouts.

The Dragons were limited to six hits. Anthony Stephan had a double and bunt single to lead the Dragons.

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