The game evolved as a pitcher’s duel as neither starting pitcher allowed a run over five innings, sending the game to the bullpens in a 0-0 contest.
In the bottom of the sixth, Dayton’s John Michael Faile blasted a long home run to left field with two outs and the bases empty to give the Dragons the game’s first run.
Jonah Hurney, the first reliever in the game for the Dragons, fired three scoreless innings. Hurney faced the top of the Whitecaps order in the top of the eighth and allowed a one-out walk before striking out Josue Briceno, the Midwest League co-leader in RBI, and then getting their cleanup hitter, Brett Callahan, on a fly ball to center field to end the inning.
The Dragons led 1-0 when they came to bat in the bottom of the eighth. Faile walked with one out and Johnny Ascanio delivered a two-out double to left field to bring in Faile from first base and make it 2-0.
Dayton’s Brodie Jessee pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out two, for his first save. The victory went to Hurney (1-1).
Dayton starting pitcher Luke Hayden was outstanding against the Midwest League’s top hitting team so far in 2025. Hayden worked five shutout innings, allowing just one hit (an infield single) with two walks and three strikeouts. He lowered his ERA for the year to 0.63.
“I was mixing a lot of different sequences,” Hayden said. “It’s difficult to hit when you do that. I did a pretty good job of getting ahead, but sometimes they got back in it. I have to clean that area up, but other than that, everything felt really well today.”
The Dragons have won back-to-back games in the series after losing the opener, 10-0.
The Dragons finished the night with seven hits. Faile scored both Dayton runs and hit his second home run in the last two nights. He extended his hitting streak to eight straight games and raised his batting average to .295 on the year. Ascanio was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI, raising his batting average to .318. Myles Smith also had two hits including a double for Dayton.
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