The Kernels (29-20) have won nine straight games including the first two games of the series in Dayton. The Dragons fell to 19-30 with the loss.

Cedar Rapids took a 3-0 lead in the third inning when Roberto Lopez drilled a home run with two men on base against Dragons starting pitcher Oscar Castro.

Dayton started back in the sixth inning. Andrew Means singled to center to start the inning and scored on Dave Sappelt's double. Sappelt went to third on Miguel Rojas' ground out and scored on hit to right by Carlos Mendez to make it 3-2.

The Dragons tied the game in the eighth when Sappelt doubled, went to third on Rojas' sacrifice, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Day.

It was still a 3-3 game in the 11th inning. Dragons reliever Andrew Bowman retired the first two batters in the inning before allowing a single to Matt Crawford. Bowman walked the next two batters before Perez singled to right to bring in two runs and give the Kernels the lead at 5-3.

Kernels reliever Andrew Taylor struck out all three Dragons batters in the bottom of the 11th to close out the game.

Dayton had six hits. Sappelt went 2 for 5 with two doubles to lead the way. Day had one hit to extend his hitting streak to eight straight games.

Dayton will host Cedar Rapids on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Field in the series finale. Lance Janke (1-2, 2.90) will start for the Dragons against Manuel Flores (2-2, 2.70). The Dragons are off on Monday before opening a four-game series with South Bend on Tuesday in Dayton.