Dayton Dragons can't overcome early deficit, win streak ends at 3

Apr. 12—The Dayton Dragons entered its homestand finale on Sunday, April 12 with three comeback wins on their ledger. They needed a fourth to win the series.

But from the early innings this wasn't the Dragons' day.

Instead, Lake County scored early and often. And the lack of early opportunities for the Dragons and a fourth inning that could have been more fruitful doomed them to a 7-4 loss to Lake County and a split of the six-game series.

The Dragons (4-4) head to Great Lakes (6-3) for their first six-game road trip with some good and bad days behind them. But this team with 18 returning players and new prospects like Alfredo Duno and J.P. Ortiz has talked like a team unswayed by losses.

"I like it," said second-year Dragon Carter Graham of his team's personality. "I think Julio is doing an incredible job of being supportive and being positive and getting us to play the right type of baseball. And I think as we continue to learn and get better, I think we're going to be really good."

Julio is first-year manager Julio Morillo, a 33-year-old who managed many of the Dragons at Daytona in 2023 and 2024. He likes the competitive spirit of the team.

"They don't like to lose baseball games, and that's all you ask for," he said.

Down 5-0 after three innings, the Dragons tried to mount a comeback in the fourth. Carlos Sanchez singled, moved to third on Ryan McCrystal's single and scored on Alfredo Alcantara's groundout. However, that productive out was the second of the inning, and one more groundout ended it.

"If we can keep it close earlier and not give them three innings to stack a lead on us, then we have a better chance to win the game," Graham said. "But that's baseball, that's going to happen. We did a good job of battling, and we're going to keep battling."

The Dragons were held down for the second time this week by Lake County left-hander Franklin Gomez. He backed four scoreless innings on Tuesday with one run in four innings Sunday.

"He's a good pitcher, he locates his stuff well, and he pitches," Morillo said.

Down 7-1, Graham made good on the promise to keep battling. He hit his first homer of the season, a wind-aided two-run shot to left to cut the deficit to 7-3 in the seventh. Ryan McCrystal homered the opposite way to left in the eighth to make the score 7-4.

"They make things interesting in the end, right?" Morillo said. "And even in the ninth we were a couple hits away from starting something special."

Despite Sunday's result, the Dragons have won three of four, have shown an ability to create big innings and both sides of the pitching staff have kept the team in most games.

"I feel like we're playing really good," Graham said. "Our pitching's coming together, defense is coming together. Our bats right now are pretty streaky, and we're able to put some good innings together. Probably got to clean up our ability to kind of do that throughout the whole game just to stay in a game like this one."

The Captains quickly erased lingering thoughts of Friday night's shutout. And Dragons starter Nestor Lorant was the victim.

Jaison Churio walked to start the game, Dean Curley singled and Jace LaViolette homered to the lawn in right-center. The Captains led 3-0 and half the fans were still looking for their seats.

The Captains got another run in the second and a solo homer from Bennett Thompson in the third. Lorant was touched for an unearned run in the fifth and left the game with two outs. His line: 4 2/3 innings, six hits, six runs, five earned runs, two walks and five strikeouts.

"It was simple as the location of the pitches," Morillo said. "His fastball was middle. He usually throws it up in the strike zone, and that's what makes the other pitches play better. The execution of his pitches wasn't as good as he's capable of."

Last week in Lansing Lorant allowed one run and struck out seven in 4 1/3 innings.

"I have no doubt he'll come to the next start and it should be fine," Morillo said. "I don't think he's going to let this start carry to the next one. With him it's so rare just to walk the leadoff guy on four pitches. I have no doubt he'll come back next start."

Strong start for bullpen: Brody Jessee and Graham Osman combined to allow one run on two hits and a walk. They struck out four in 4 1/3 innings. The Dragons' relievers have combined for a 2.15 ERA. They have struck out 54 and walked 26 in 37 2/3 innings.

Road trip: The Dragons head to Great Lakes to face the Loons in a six-game series. The starting rotation will remain the same, starting with Reynardo Cruz on Tuesday, followed by Ortiz, Luke Hayden, Cole Schoenwetter, Beau Blanchard and Lorant.