The Lincoln Saltdogs (9-12) recorded 17 hits as they defeated the Winnipeg Goldeyes 11-7 at Blue Cross Park Saturday evening.
Lincoln took an early lead when the fourth batter of the ballgame, designated hitter Spencer Henson, hit a three-run home run to left field.
Winnipeg (9-12) trimmed the lead to one with a pair of runs in the second inning. Centre fielder Miles Simington scored on a throwing error before left fielder Roby Enríquez hit a sacrifice fly to left field that brought catcher Rob Emery home to make it a 3-2 game.
After increasing their lead to 4-2 in the top of the third, the Saltdogs scored twice more in the fourth on singles by left fielder Aaron Takacs and Henson.
The Goldeyes however, erupted for four in the bottom of the frame to even the score at 6-6. Simington hit a two-run home run to right field and shortstop Andy Armstrong brought in two more with a single to left-centre field that plated Emery and Enríquez.
Winnipeg took their first lead of the game in the fifth when Simington smacked a one-out, solo home run to right that made it 7-6.
Lincoln wasted no time moving back in front as first baseman Luke Roskam hit a double to centre field that drove in Takacs to tie the game. The next batter, centre fielder Nick Anderson hit a single that brought Roskam in and gave the Saltdogs an 8-7 advantage.
The visitors added single runs in each of the final three innings to put the game out of reach.
Pablo Arévalo (W, 2-1) earned the victory in relief of Lincoln starter Zach Keenan. Arévalo went three innings and allowed one run on three hits. Brandon McCabe (S, 2) struck out three and gave up just one hit over the final two innings to record the save.
Colton Eastman (L, 2-3) started for the Goldeyes and worked 5.2 innings, during which he surrendered eight runs – six earned – on 11 hits.
“We definitely didn’t pitch our best tonight. This is one of the few games I can remember when we didn’t strike out a batter the entire game,” said Winnipeg manager Logan Watkins. “Obviously, we made a couple of mistakes defensively but when every single ball is being put in play there’s probably going to be some plays that don’t get made. It’s a little uncharacteristic of us because this year the strength of the team.”
The series concludes Sunday at 1:00 p.m. CDT when Zac Reininger (1-2, 4.00 ERA) starts for the Goldeyes. Southpaw Jesse Remington (0-0, 6.00 ERA) will take the mound for the Saltdogs.