The win was the eighth in a row for the Dragons, coming on the heels of a six-game series sweep at home against the Peoria Chiefs. The eight-game winning streak is the second longest for the Dragons since they moved to the High-A level prior to the 2021 season, one win short of a nine-game winning streak they produced in August of 2024.
Fort Wayne opened the scoring with two runs in the second inning, collecting three hits and a walk in the frame. The 2-0 deficit for the Dragons marked the first time they had trailed by more than one run during the winning streak.
The Dragons started back in the third, getting hits from Ryan McCrystal and Peyton Stovall before Carlos Jorge delivered a sacrifice fly to bring in a run and make it 2-1. Stovall blasted a solo home run in the fifth, his second homer of the year, to tie the game at 2-2.
The Dragons sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs in the seventh. The Dragons closed out the scoring in the ninth inning when Sanchez delivered a two-out single to drive in Stephan from second base and make it 7-2.
Dragons starting pitcher Luke Hayden lasted four and two-thirds innings, throwing 75 pitches, while allowing two runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Hayden had a string of nine straight batters retired beginning with two outs in the second inning.
Jonah Hurney and Dylan Simmons combined to retire 13 of the final 14 batters of the game to close out the Dragons win. Fort Wayne had only one hit after the second inning in the game. Dayton pitchers combined to allow only two walks on the night.
The Dragons finished with 11 hits. Stovall had a home run, double, single, walk, and two runs scored. McCrystal and Sanchez each had two hits.
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