With the win, the Dragons moved into a tie for first place with Fort Wayne in the Midwest League’s East Division second-half race.
Dayton took a two-run lead to the bottom of the ninth inning but issued three walks in the inning to load the bases. Dragons reliever John Murphy entered the game with two on and no outs and notched a pair of strikeouts sandwiched around a walk that loaded the bases. With two outs, Murphy ran the count to 2-2 against the Loons’ Damon Keith, who fouled off several pitches to stay alive. Keith then lifted a long, high drive to left field that looked like a possible walk-off grand slam. Thompson had time to go back to the fence, turn, wait, and leap, reaching high to make the game-ending catch.
The Dragons built a 3-0 lead on a solo home run from Jack Rogers and run-scoring singles by Austin Hendrick and Cade Hunter. Great Lakes scored two in the bottom of the sixth to make it 3-2, but Thompson connected on a solo home run in the top of the eighth.
Dragons starting pitcher Carson Rudd matched the team’s season high with nine strikeouts over 4 2/3 shutout innings. He allowed just two hits and two walks.
TUESDAY’S GAME
Beloit at Dayton, 7:05 p.m., 980
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