First-place Dragons win 5th straight game

Dayton's Gabriel Aguilera, shown earlier this season, combined with two relievers to allow just one run in the Dragons' 7-1 win at Fort Wayne on Sunday. Jeff Gilbert/CONTRIBUTED

Dayton's Gabriel Aguilera, shown earlier this season, combined with two relievers to allow just one run in the Dragons' 7-1 win at Fort Wayne on Sunday. Jeff Gilbert/CONTRIBUTED

Three Dayton Dragons pitchers combined to allow just one run in a 7-1 victory over the host Fort Wayne TinCaps on Sunday afternoon. The win was the fifth straight for the Dragons, matching their season’s longest winning streak.

The Dayton win increased the Dragons lead in the playoff race to two and one-half games over West Michigan, pending the completion of the Whitecaps doubleheader at Lansing that had a lengthy rain delay at the start. There are 18 games to play in the regular season.

The Dragons scored three runs in the second inning to take an early 3-0 lead. Victor Acosta doubled off the right field fence to start the inning and scored from second on an error. After a double by Cade Hunter, the Dragons added a run on a wild pitch, and Jay Allen II’s sacrifice fly brought in the third run of the frame.

After Fort Wayne scored one run in the fourth, the Dragons responded with a run in the fifth. Cam Collier doubled to the right field corner, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a base hit to left field by John Michael Faile to make it 4-1.

The Dragons added three more runs in the eighth to take a 7-1 lead. After a single by Johnny Ascanio, Hector Rodriguez ripped a hard double to drive in a run. After back-to-back walks to load the bases, Cam Collier delivered a sacrifice fly to drive in Rodriguez. Another run scored on an errant pick-off throw to make it a three-run inning.

Dragons starting pitcher Gabriel Aguilera (2-4) went five innings, allowing four hits and one run with one walk and three strikeouts to earn the win.

Arij Fransen replaced Aguilera to start the sixth and worked three shutout innings, allowing four hits but no walks with two strikeouts. Trey Braithwaite pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close out the game.

Collier was 1 for 1 with a double, two walks, a hit batsman, a sacrifice fly, a run scored, and a run batted in. Collier walked 11 times in the six-game series while going 7 for 15 with nine RBI. Allen was 1 for 2 with two walks, a sacrifice fly, and two stolen bases. He went 7 for 16 in the series. Hunter had two hits.

The Dragons open a six-game series at Day Air Ballpark on Tuesday vs. Cedar Rapids.

TUESDAY’S GAME

Cedar Rapids at Dayton, 7:05 p.m., 980

About the Author