A two-run eighth inning propelled the Dayton Dragons to a 4-3 comeback win on Tuesday that lifted them to their club record 14th-consecutive win.
The Dragons have won every game since Aug. 17, securing two six-game sweeps of Peoria and at Fort Wayne. Tuesday’s game against Lansing offered Dayton a chance at breaking a franchise record against the same team it started its streak against.
The Dragons jumped ahead 2-0 after the first two innings with runs driven in by Carlos Sanchez and Carlos Jorge. Lansing tied the game with runs across the third and fourth innings.
Two errors in the seventh inning cost the Dragons their lead as the Lugnuts took advantage and flipped the lead 3-2 after Casey Yamauchi reached on fielding error by right fielder Esmith Pineda allowed Carlos Pacheco to score.
Leadoff singles by Peyton Stovall and Carter Graham began the bottom of the eighth inning. Both runners advanced a base after Anthony Stephan laid down a sacrifice bunt on the first pitch he saw.
The Dragons briefly tied the game at three runs apiece following a wild pitch by Lugnuts reliever Kyle Robinson, then Yerlin Confidan came up with two outs and singled to left-center field scoring Graham and giving Dayton a 4-3 lead.
Dragons relief pitcher Dylan Simmons was called from the bullpen for the ninth inning, and Simmons delivered a perfect final frame to seal Dayton’s record-breaking win.
According to Tom Nichols of the Dayton Dragons, the Dragons’ 14-game win streak “is the longest winning streak for any team across all levels of Minor League Baseball over the last two seasons.”
The 14-game streak tops Dayton’s 2002 record. It’s the longest in the Midwest League in at least 20 years, according to Nichols.
The Dragons are 27-31 in the second half of the minor league season, which began in June. They’re in fourth place in the Midwest League East division, and overall Dayton is 48-75 this year.
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