Saltdogs Denied First Win of the Season

Sioux Falls, South Dakota-   A pair of three run innings were all the scoring the Sioux Falls Canaries would need in a 6-3 contest, Tuesday night at Sioux Falls Stadium, in American Association Baseball action.  The loss denied the Lincoln Saltdogs their first win of the season.

Sioux Falls (2-2) scored six runs off eight hits and committed one error.  Lincoln (0-4) plated three runs with ten hits and had no errors.

Lincoln’s offense was productive early.  In the top of the first, Danny Bautista, Jr., led off the game with a single, and Jack Dragum followed up with the same, to put runners at first and third.  Then, Yusniel Diaz hit a chopper on a ground out to third, which scored Bautista, to make it a 1-0, Lincoln lead.  Then, Spencer Henson singled up the middle, scoring Dragum, which put the Saltdogs up 2-0.

The Canaries responded in the bottom of the fourth inning.  Calvin Estrada led off the inning with a double, then stole third.  Two batters later, Jabari Henry drew a walk, to put runners on the corners.  Then, Josh Rehwaldt hit a rbi-double, plating Estrada, to make the score, 2-1.  The next batter, Hunter Clanin, hit a two-rbi double, scoring Henry and Rehwaldt, to give Sioux Falls a 3-2 lead.

Lincoln responded in the top of the fifth.  Bautista Jr., led off the inning with a single, stole second, then got to third on a wild pitch.  Two batters later, Diaz singled, scoring Bautista Jr., to tie the game at 3-3.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the eighth inning.  Facing Lincoln reliever, Gaylon Viney, the Canaries’ Matt Ruiz tripled with one out.  Then Estrada hit a Viney 1-0 pitch over the left-center field fence for a two-run home run, to make it 5-3.  Peter Zimmerman followed with a single, then stole second.  The next batter, Jabari Henry, hit an rbi-double, bringing home Zimmerman, to put Sioux Falls ahead, 6-3.

In the top of the ninth, Sioux Falls reliever Brady Stover hit Kyle Battle with a pitch, with one out.  However, Stover got Derek Maiben to ground out and Bautista, Jr., to line out to third, to end the game.

Sioux Falls starting pitcher Brendon Knoll pitched 5.0 innings, giving up nine hits, three earned runs, walked three and struck out five.  Ryan Richardson pitched 1.0 inning.  Eston Stull pitched 1.0 inning and have up one hit, while striking out two.  Christian Cosby (1-0) earned the win, pitching 1.0 inning, and striking out two.  Brady Stover (1) earned the save, pitching 1.0 inning.

Lincoln starter Greg Loukinen pitched 4.0 innings, giving up four hits, three earned runs, walked two and struck out three.  Johnny Blake pitched 3.0 innings and struck out three.  Gaylon Viney (0-1) took the loss.  He pitched 1.0 inning, giving up four hits, three earned runs, walked two and yielded the go-ahead home run to Estrada.

Offensively for Sioux Falls, Calvin Estrada was 2-for-4 with the two-run home run.  Jabari Henry was 1-for-3 and drove in a run.  Josh Rehwaldt went 1-for-3 with a RBI.  Hunter Clanin was 2-for-4 with two runs batted in.

For Lincoln, Danny Bautista, Jr. was 2-for-5.  Jack Dragum was 2-for-3.  Yusniel Diaz was 1-for-4 with two RBI’s.  Spencer Henson was 1-for-4 and drove in one run.  Brody Fahr went 2-for-4.

The two teams will play game two of the three-game series, Wednesday night at Sioux Falls Stadium.  Seth Miller will pitch for the Canaries, while Lincoln will start Cam Wynne.  First pitch is 6:35 p.m.  The game will be broadcast on KFOR 101.5 FM/1240 AM, and also on www.kfornow.com.  A live stream of the game will also be available at www.aa.baseball.tv.

After the three-game series at Sioux Falls, the Saltdogs will return to Lincoln and host the Winnipeg Goldeyes, Friday night.  The Haymarket Park 2025 home-opener will begin at 7:05 p.m.   It will be Fireworks & FREE T-Shirt Friday, sponsored by Abante Marketing and Pepsi Cola of Lincoln.  Fans can receive replica t-shirts of their favorite Saltdogs players, which will be thrown into the crowd during the game.  Also, after the contest will be a fireworks extravaganza.  For tickets, promotional information and much more, visit: www.saltdogs.com.