The Dragons collected at least one hit in all nine innings and scored runs in eight different innings (every inning except the second). The Dragons scored two runs in the top of the first inning and built their lead to 4-0 by the fourth when Faile blasted a home run to center field in his second at-bat with the team.
After Fort Wayne scored one run in the bottom of the fourth, the Dragons scored two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth, and four in the seventh to build their lead to 11-1. Johnny Ascaino hit his first homer with the Dragons in the eighth, and Leo Balcazar added a two-run double in the ninth to make it 14-1. Fort Wayne scored two in the bottom of the ninth to close out the scoring.
The Dayton 18-hit attack had many big contributors.
--Faile, in his first game with the Dragons, had a home run and two singles. Undrafted out of NCAA Division II North Greenville University, Faile set the career NCAA Division II record in both home runs and RBI, hit over .400 in back-to-back seasons and won his conference’s triple crown, and then produced a huge season in independent professional baseball in 2023 before signing with the Reds as a free agent.
--Ethan O’Donnell collected three doubles and scored two runs.
--Cam Collier reached base four times and added two sacrifice flies while driving in three runs.
--Hector Rodriguez snapped a 1 for 26 slump with four hits including two doubles.
--Balcazar had two hits and four RBI, extending his hitting streak to 14 straight games, longest by a Dayton player since 2021.
On the mound, Dayton starting pitcher Brian Edgington went six innings and allowing just two base runners. He surrendered one run on two hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.
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