Dragons win playoff opener

Dayton, Ohio - Donald Lutz collected three hits including a two-run home run as the Dayton Dragons defeated the Lansing Lugnuts 7-3 in game one of the Midwest League Eastern Division playoffs on Thursday night before a crowd of 7,819 at Fifth Third Field.

The Dragons came from behind, trailing 2-0 in the fourth inning and still looking for their first hit of the night before the offense got rolling. The win lifts the Dragons within one victory of advancing to the league semi-finals.

Lansing got the scoring started in the third inning when Jake Marisnick blooped a single over shortstop to drive in Oliver Dominguez from second with two outs to give the Lugnuts a 1-0 lead. They added another run in the top of the fourth to jump ahead 2-0.

The Dragons started back in the bottom of the fourth. Billy Hamilton walked, went to second on Ronald Torreyes’ sacrifice, and scored on Lutz’s two-out single to center to make it 2-1.

The Dragons took the lead in the fifth. With one out, Tucker Barnhart walked and raced around to third on Juan Duran’s hard single off the glove of the second baseman. Jefry Sierra followed with a liner into the gap in left-center field to score both Barnhart and Duran and give Dayton a 3-2 lead. One batter later, Hamilton lined a single off the pitcher into center field to bring in Sierra and make it 4-2.

Lansing came back in the seventh inning. Oliver Dominguez started the inning with a bunt single and eventually scored on a triple by Jake Marisnick to pull Lansing to within a run at 4-3.

But the Dragons added one run in the seventh, getting three singles in the inning including Hamilton’s two-out RBI hit to bring in Duran and make it 5-3. In the eighth, Lutz blasted a long home run to right with a man on base to make it 7-3 and close out the scoring.

Dragons starting pitcher Daniel Corcino worked the first six innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs with two walks and six strikeouts and was credited with the victory.

The Dragons collected 10 hits. Hamilton, Duran, and Sierra each had two hits to go along with Lutz’s three.

The Dragons travel to Lansing to battle the Lugnuts in game two of the Midwest League Eastern Division Playoffs on Friday at 7:05 p.m. (WONE 980 AM). Josh Smith (14-7, 2.97) will start for Dayton against Lansing’s Justin Nicolino (1-1, 3.12). If the Dragons win, they will advance to the semi-finals, which will start Saturday or Sunday on the road. If Lansing wins, game three in the best-of-three series will be played on Saturday in Lansing at 7:05 p.m.