The Dragons took the lead with one run in the second inning. Hector Rodriguez lined a double to start the inning and scored on a two-out double to right field by Victor Acosta. West Michigan tied the game with a run in the bottom of the second.
The Dragons took advantage of a West Michigan error to take the lead for good in the third. Yan Contreras singled to start the inning and Jay Allen followed with a ground ball to second. West Michigan’s Max Anderson fielded the ball but threw wide of the bag at second, allowing Contreras to go to third as Allen went to second. Carlos Jorge followed with a two-run single to center to give the Dragons a 3-1 lead.
The Dragons added four more runs in the seventh to close out the scoring. The inning was keyed by a run-scoring triple by Cade Hunter as the Dragons took advantage of two hit batsmen and a walk while stealing three bases in the inning to extend their lead to 7-1.
Menefee retired 12 of the 13 batters he faced, allowing only one hit, a single, while striking out six in four scoreless innings of relief work. Menefee (2-2) posted his longest outing of the season on a night when the Dragons bullpen was short-handed. Pedro Alfonseca followed Menefee with two innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits with one strikeout.
Dragons starting pitcher Jose Franco has been limited to three innings per start as he returns from Tommy John surgery. Franco worked three innings, allowing three hits (all infield singles) and one run with no walks and three strikeouts.
SATURDAY’S GAME
Dragons at Whitecaps, 7:05 p.m., 980
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