Lugnuts notch fourth straight win over Dragons

Pregame fun at the Dayton Dragons game at Day Air Ballpark Wednesday night April 20, 2022. MARSHALL GORBY \STAFF

Credit: Marshall Gorby

Credit: Marshall Gorby

Pregame fun at the Dayton Dragons game at Day Air Ballpark Wednesday night April 20, 2022. MARSHALL GORBY \STAFF

Three Lansing pitchers combined to allow five hits as the Lugnuts defeated the Dayton Dragons 3-1 on Saturday night. The Lugnuts have won four straight in the series after the Dragons took the opener on Tuesday. The set will conclude on Sunday afternoon.

A crowd of 9,272, the largest of the season, was in attendance on American Celebration Night at Day Air Ballpark.

The Dragons dropped to 12-27 in the second half and 51-54 overall. Lansing improved their second half record to 18-23.  They are 43-64 overall.

The Dragons first batter of the game, Justice Thompson, blasted a home run to center field to give Dayton a quick 1-0 lead. The homer was Thompson’s sixth of the season and third of the series.

Lansing tied the game in the fourth inning, took the lead with a run in the seventh, and closed out the scoring with one run in the top of the ninth.

The Dragons did not advance a runner past first base after the first inning. All four of their hits after Thompson’s home run were singles, and Lansing pitchers did not issue a walk in the game.  Noelvi Marte went 2 for 3 for the Dragons.

Dayton starting pitcher Javi Rivera, in his High-A debut after spending the first four months of the season at Daytona, struck out seven Lansing batters over four innings, allowing three hits and one run with two walks. He was not involved in the decision.

The loss was charged to Dragons reliever Myles Gayman (3-1), who worked four innings, allowing one run on four hits with no walks and two strikeouts.