Dragons down Loons

The Great Lakes Loons overcame a five-run deficit to the Dayton Dragons and tied the game 9-9 with a three-run ninth inning rally Tuesday at Fifty Third Field.

But the Dragons responded with three straight singles in the bottom half of the inning, the third a sharp ground ball by Brandon Menchaca past a drawn-in infield, to down the Loons 10-9.

With the loss, the Loons fall to 50-77, 27 games under .500, their worst mark of the season.

The Loons trailed 6-1 after the Dragons plated two runs in the first, third and fourth innings. But in the top of the fifth inning, Jovanny Rosario smoked a three-run home run over the right field fence to pull the Loons to within two.

It was Rosario’s first homer of the season and his first since August 17, 2007 while playing for Ogden.

The Dragons extended their lead to four with a two-run sixth inning. The two teams exchanged seventh-inning runs before Jaime Ortiz cut the lead to three with a long solo homer on the first pitch of the eighth.

Then in the ninth inning against reliever Aguido Gonzalez, Erik Kanaby and Rosario recorded consecutive singles and Eduardo Perez walked to load the bases with one out. Andrew Lambo followed with a ground ball back to the mound for the second out, scoring a run. Then with two runners aboard, Ortiz followed with a double over the head of right fielder Denis Phipps to plate two and tie the game at nine.

But in the bottom half of the inning, with Miguel Ramirez (2-9) on the mound, Phipps and Mike McKennon singled to put runners at the corners and no outs. The Loons brought the infield and outfield in, and Menchaca hit a hard ground ball past a diving Brandon Taylor to bring home the winning run.

Ruben Medina (1-0) recorded the win with a scoreless third of an inning. He was the only pitcher for either team that did not allow a run.

Ortiz led the Loons with three hits and four RBIs. Dayton shortstop Zack Cozart drove in four runs. Zack Kahaulelio, Phipps and Justin Reed led the Dragons with three hits each.

The Loons return to action Thursday when they play host to the South Bend Silver Hawks at Dow Diamond. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.