Dragons rally to top South Bend

Dragons catcher Pabel Manzanero.Bowling Green defeated host Dayton 3-2 in a minor-league baseball season opener at Fifth Third Field on Thursday, April 4, 2019. MARC PENDLETON / STAFF

Dragons catcher Pabel Manzanero.Bowling Green defeated host Dayton 3-2 in a minor-league baseball season opener at Fifth Third Field on Thursday, April 4, 2019. MARC PENDLETON / STAFF

Pabel Manzanero and Brian Rey each collected three hits as the Dayton Dragons rallied for a 5-4 win ver the South Bend Cubs on Friday night at Fifth Third Field.

South Bend scored single runs in each of the first two innings to jump out to a 2-0 lead. The Dragons battled back to tie the game with two runs in the fourth. Rey singled with one out, went to third on Manzanero’s ground rule double, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-1. Jay Schuyler followed with a double to left-center field to even the score.

The Dragons took the lead for good in the fifth. With two outs, Michael Siani walked and raced to third on Rey’s single to left. Rey stole second. Manzanero followed with a ground ball toward the middle. South Bend shortstop Rafael Narea made a diving try, had the ball briefly, but lost it as he tried to get to his feet. Siani scored easily from third and Rey raced in from second to give Dayton a 4-2 lead.

The Dragons added a run in the eighth when Manzanero singled with one out, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Schuyler’s second RBI double of the night.

The Cubs scored twice in the ninth off Connor Bennett, but he held on for his fourth save.

Reliever Alexis Diaz (5-2) pitched three hitless, scoreless innings to pick up the win. He walked one and struck out three.

Dragons starter James Marinan worked four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

The Dragons finished with 10 hits. Along with the three-hit nights by Rey and Manzanero, Schuyler had two hits, both doubles.

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