Kravetz, Jose Torres and Ashton Creal were at the top of the fun list.
Kravetz threw five hitless innings, Torres homered for the third time in two games and Creal ran down four well-hit balls – spinning around for one catch at the warning track – to make hit-saving catches in every part of center field. The most fun was the final score: 4-2 over West Michigan.
“They’re prepared, they work hard, they buy into what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to play the game,” Dragons manager Bryan LaHair said. “When you get a talented group with buy in and chemistry, they have the chance to win some games.”
The Dragons (9-3) lead second-place Fort Wayne (7-5) by two games. The hype that comes with eight of the Reds’ 30 top-rated prospects on the roster has not put pressure on this team. Many have played together before.
“it’s nothing new to this team,” LaHair said. “As far as the atmosphere and the chemistry in the clubhouse, it’s solid.”
For the second time this series, the Dragons flirted with a no-hitter. Monday’s no-hit bid was broken up with two outs in the seventh on an infield hit. That was the Whitecaps’ only hit. On Thursday, Kravetz (1-0), who struck out six, and Spencer Stockton, who struck out five, held the Whitecaps (6-6) hitless through seven innings.
“I have a great connection with Garrett (Wolforth) catching and I was able to get ahead of a lot of guys and able to follow the scouting report,” Kravetz said. “And there was great defense behind me like Ashton Creal making unbelievable plays and Torres up the middle.”
Spencer started the eighth and the Whitecaps broke up the no-hit attempt on Jon Rosoff’s lead-off double. The Whitecaps scored two runs, both charged to Stockton, and finished with four hits. Jake Gozzo finished for his second save.
“We have a really, really good pitching staff, and I think guys know it,” Kravetz said. “Every night, we’re trying to go out there and put up numbers. We all have a lot of confidence in the staff.”
LaHair likes what he sees, especially this week. “They’re fearlessly attacking the zone,” he said.
Throw strikes is always a message from managers and pitching coaches. But Kravetz also feels encouragement from LaHair and pitching coach Brian Garman.
“We’re a confident bunch and we’re given confidence by our coaches and our coordinators,” Kravetz said. “They’re always telling us our stuff is really good, and it’s good enough to get away with things. So just throw it in the zone and good things will happen. We really talked this week a lot about not nibbling and just putting your best stuff in the zone and trusting that it’s good enough.”
Torres put the Dragons up 1-0 in the third inning with his third home run in four at-bats, completing a 5-for-6 stretch. He homered in his final two at-bats in Wednesday’s 7-3 victory over the Whitecaps.
The Dragons scored three times in the sixth. Alex McGarry singled in one run and Wolforth singled in two runs for a 4-0 lead.
Reds in the dugout: Three roving instructors in Reds uniforms are with the Dragons this week, including former Dragons manager Jose Nieves (2013-15). Nieves is the minor league infield coordinator. Former Dragons bench coach Kevin Mahar (2017-19) is the outfield and baserunning coordinator. And former Dragons coach Corky Miller (2015-16) is the catching coordinator.
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