The Dragons reached double-figures in runs for the third time in their five games in Lansing.The first six hitters in the Dayton batting order had at least two hits in the contest. Dayton’s offensive explosion gave the club 46 runs in the first five games of the series, six more than they had scored in any series this season with a game still on the schedule for Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
The Dragons took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a titanic home run by McGarry that was clocked off the bat at 108 mph. The homer was McGarry’s second of the series and fifth of the year. The Dragons added two more runs in the sixth, keyed by a run-scoring triple by Mat Nelson in his first game with the club. Nelson, the NCAA national home run champion this spring at Florida State, had two hits and two RBI in his High-A debut.
After Lansing scored in the bottom of the sixth to make it 3-1, the Dragons responded with a five-run eighth inning to take a commanding 8-1 lead. Martinez had a two-run double in the inning and James Free added a two-run single. The Dragons added three more in the ninth, keyed by another two-run double by Martinez. Quin Cotton, who had three hits in the game, added a run-scoring double to put Dayton ahead 11-1. Lansing scored three in the bottom of the ninth to close out the scoring.
Dragons starting pitcher Eduardo Salazar earned the win. Salazar (3-5) matched his season high with six innings of work, allowing just one run on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
Martinez and Cotton each had three hits for Dayton. Free, Nelson, Michael Siani, and Ivan Johnson each had two hits. The Dragons were 7 for 12 with men in scoring position.
The Dragons moved into a tie with Cedar Rapids in the battle for the final High-A Central League playoff slot. They hold a one-game lead in the East Division over Lake County and Great Lakes, who are tied for second place.