August 17 – August 22, 2021

Day Air Ballpark

Dayton, Ohio

**Back to Full Capacity**

In accordance with the Governor’s elimination of COVID related health orders and restrictions, the Dayton Dragons have officially opened Day Air Ballpark to full stadium capacity. If you are fully vaccinated, you do not have to wear a mask, unless you prefer. If you are not vaccinated, you should wear a mask per CDC guidelines.

Many COVID safety measures will remain in place including touchless technology inside all restrooms, plexiglass at customer service areas, and cashless concessions.  All 125 hand sanitizing stations will remain, and the Dragons will continue to adhere to special cleaning protocols for the facility and high-volume touch points.

Single-game tickets for all 18 remaining full capacity home games through the rest of the season from June – September are now available for purchase through the following outlets:

·         Online at https://www.milb.com/dayton/tickets/single-game-tickets

·         The Dragons Box Office located next to the main entry gates at Day Air Ballpark

·         By phone by calling the Dragons Box office at (937) 228-2287; or Ticketmaster charge-by-phone at (937) 228-2323

·         The Dragons App which can be downloaded through the App Store (Apple) or Google Play Store (Android)

**Game and Radio Broadcast Schedule**

• Tuesday, August 17 – Lake County Captains (Indians) at Dayton Dragons (Reds), 7:05 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 18 – Lake County Captains (Indians) at Dayton Dragons (Reds), 7:05 p.m.
• Thursday, August 19 – Lake County Captains (Indians) at Dayton Dragons (Reds), 7:05 p.m.
• Friday, August 20 – Lake County Captains (Indians) at Dayton Dragons (Reds), 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, August 21 – Lake County Captains (Indians) at Dayton Dragons (Reds), 7:05 p.m.
• Sunday, August 22 – Lake County Captains (Indians) at Dayton Dragons (Reds), 2:05 p.m.

All games are broadcast on Fox Sports 980 AM and HD Radio on 104.7 WTUI HD 2. All games are also streamed via the Dragons website at www.daytondragons.com. Broadcasts are also available on the Dragons App for Apple and Android devices.

Scheduled Dragons starting pitchers for these games:

Tuesday: TBD

Wednesday: Carson Spiers (RHP)

Thursday: Lyon Richardson (RHP)

Friday: Eduardo Salazar (LHP)

Saturday: Christian Roa (RHP)

Sunday: TBD

**Dragons On TV**

• The games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will be televised on Dayton’s CW (WBDT-TV).  It is available on the following outlets: Cable Channels 13 and 1013, Direct TV and DISH Network Channel 26, and over the air channel 26.1.
• Reds Minor League Hitting Coordinator CJ Gillman will join Friday’s broadcast as color commentator.  WDTN Sports Director Jack Pohl will join as color commentator for Saturday and Sunday’s broadcasts.

**Dragons 50/50**

• The Dragons 50/50 will be a rolling pot and will run from Tuesday through Sunday. As part of the “Rebuilding the Arts” program, sponsored by Day Air Credit Union, all of the charity proceeds of the raffle will go to Dayton Live to help them recover from the pandemic.  Fans can purchase raffle tickets in stadium, or online by clicking here: https://www.milb.com/dayton/fans/50-50-raffle.

**Wendy’s Friends and Family Deal**

·         The Wendy’s Friends and Family Deal is available for the Dragons games this weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 20-22.  The deal includes a Dragons ticket, Wendy’s 4 for $4 meal voucher, and a Dragon’s hat all starting at $12.00 per ticket.  Call the Dragons box office at 937-228-2287 or visit daytondragons.com to purchase tickets.

**Modern-Day Forrest Gump at Tuesday Game**

·         The Dayton Dragons will recognize Cody O’Connor during the Tuesday, August 17^th game at Day Air Ballpark between the Dragons and Lake County Captains which begins at 7:05 p.m.  O’Connor is a modern-day Forrest Gump and cancer survivor who is raising funds for pediatric cancer patients in his “Walk for Hope” across America. 

**Community All-Stars Honoree**

·         The Dragons Community All-Star Program sponsored by Flying Ace Express Car Wash, CenterPoint Energy, Great Clips, and Synchrony will be honoring The Hope Center for Families during a special inning break on Tuesday, August 17.

**Celebrate Dayton Honoree **

·         As part of the Celebrate Dayton Program presented by Day Air Credit Union, the Dayton Dragons will honor the Oakwood High School Girls Track and Field Winners during the Sunday, August 22^nd game at Day Air Ballpark between the Dragons and Lake County Captains.  The game will begin at 7:05 p.m.

·         The Celebrate Dayton Program recognizes people in and around the Dayton area for their notable accomplishments during the past year.   The Oakwood High School Girls Track and Field Team is being recognized for winning the OHSAA Division II state championship in 2021 – the first state title in program history. 

**Nitro Circus**

·         Nitro Circus at Day Air Ballpark is Saturday, August 28^th at 7:00 p.m.  The event will include high-flying tricks on a variety of platforms including freestyle motocross, mountain biking, BMX, skateboarding, inline skating, scooters and more.  Tickets for the show at Day Air Ballpark are now available for purchase at https://www.ticketmaster.com/nitro-circus-dayton-ohio/event/16005761D214687C.  Click here to visit the Fan Page on Facebook for the Nitro Circus appearance at Day Air Ballpark.  Click here for a video of the Nitro Circus experience.  For more Nitro Circus news, including exclusive behind-the-scenes content and more, go to https://nitrocircus.com/tour/ and follow Nitro Circus on Instagram and Facebook.

**Legislation to Aid Minor League Baseball **

·         On June 25^th members of Congress from both parties in the House and Senate introduced legislation to help keep minor league baseball across the country alive.  U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and U.S. Representatives Doris Matsui (D-Calif.-06) and David McKinley (R-W.Va.-01) introduced the Minor League Baseball Relief Act, legislation to provide emergency assistance to Minor League Baseball (MiLB) clubs who have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

·         Unlike their counterparts in Major League Baseball and other major sports leagues, MiLB clubs cannot rely on TV ad revenues to supplement the loss of proceeds from ticket sales, concessions, and in-person advertising. Even with the return of fans this year, many clubs are facing immense financial hardship.

·         “We would like to ask the Dayton community to take one (1) minute to ask their Ohio representatives in Congress to support the Minor League Baseball Relief Act,” stated Dragons president Robert Murphy.  “All you have to do is visit https://minorleaguebaseballrelief.com/ and type in your name and address, and a letter will be sent to your Members of Congress asking them to co-sponsor this critical legislation.”

**Dragons On The Field**

·         The Dragons road trip to West Michigan and Lansing last week ended better than it began.  Two consecutive losses against the Whitecaps were part of a five-game losing streak.  Starting on Sunday, August 8, however, the Dragons rattled off four consecutive wins and took the series 4-2 at Lansing.  The series at Lansing featured Dayton’s best offensive week of the season.  The Dragons scored a season-high 50 runs (8.3 runs/game) for a weeklong series and hit 12 home runs, which is also a season high.  Over the last seven days, the Dragons lead the High-A Central League in batting average (.292), runs (55), hits (74), total bases (132), triples (5), and RBIs (46).  Trailing by just one game in the overall standings, this past week was an encouraging uptick in offense as the Dragons enter the stretch run.  Just five series (30 games) remain in the regular season.  Only the top two teams in the league (regardless of division) make the playoffs, which will be a best-three-out-of-five championship series.

·         The last time Dayton and Lake County played, the Dragons lost the series four games to two.  The Captains outscored the Dragons 36-20, winning the final three games of the series over the weekend.  A persistent issue for the Dragons was producing hits with runners in scoring position.  Dayton batted just .225 with RISP.  James Free has been excellent against the Captains this year, going 7-18 with four doubles.

·         Dayton has experienced extensive roster turnover the past two weeks.  Notable players to get promoted include shortstop Miguel Hernandez and infielder Francisco Urbaez.  Catcher/infielder Garrett Wolforth was sent to Low-A Daytona along with infielder Reyny Reyes.  Outfielder Reniel Ozuna was placed on the development list.  Additions to the roster include the Reds first-round pick from 2021 Matt McLain.  Fellow 2021 draft pick Jack Rogers (9^th round) was also promoted from the Arizona Complex League last week.  Infielder Ivan Johnson (Reds #12 prospect) was promoted from Low-A Daytona, while the Reds 35^th overall selection in this year’s draft, Mat Nelson, joined the roster on Saturday.  Infielder Jonathan Willems returns to Dayton from Double-A Chattanooga along with catcher/infielder Jose Tello.

·         The Dragons roster includes several players ranked among the best prospects in the Reds organization.  Michael Siani was listed by Baseball America as the “Best Athlete” and “Best Defensive Outfielder” in the Reds organization entering the season and was ranked as the Reds 10^th best overall prospect.  Other Dragons players ranked by Baseball America at the start of the season were RHP Christian Roa (#11), SS Ivan Johnson (#12), RHP Lyon Richardson (#13), and OF Jacob Hurtubise (#41).  In the mid-season update of Reds top-10 prospects by Baseball America, Matt McLain is #4, Roa is #14, and Johnson is #15.  In the current MLB.com rankings, Siani is #5 in the Reds system, while Richardson is #7, Roa is #10, and Johnson is #11.

·         Matt McLainbecame the latest first round draft pick to play for the Dragons when he joined the club on August 11. Recent first round picks to play for the Dragons, with their draft year, have included Nick Lodolo (2019), Jonathan India (2018), Hunter Greene (2017), Nick Senzel (2016), Tyler Stephenson (2015), Nick Howard and Alex Blandino (2014), Phillip Ervin (2013), Nick Travieso (2012), and Robert Stephenson (2011). Every Reds “true” first round pick (selected within the first 30 picks of the draft) over the last 11 drafts has played for the Dragons except 2020 first rounder Austin Hendrick, who is currently at Low-A Daytona…Mat Nelson was a supplemental first round pick in 2021 by the Reds (Competitive Balance-A; 35th overall pick). Players taken recently by the Reds in the supplemental first round (extra picks added between the first and second round for compensatory purposes) have included Todd Frazier (2007), Jesse Winker (2012), Michael Lorenzen (2013), Taylor Trammell (2016), and Jeter Downs (2017).

COURTESY DAYTON DRAGONS MEDIA RELATIONS