Lincoln, Nebraska- The Lincoln Saltdogs battled back from a six-run deficit to tie the Sioux Falls Canaries and force extra innings, Thursday night at Haymarket Park. However, the visitors plated a pair of unearned runs in the top of the tenth, then held on to defeat Lincoln 13-11. Highlighting the Saltdogs effort was Brody Fahr, who went 3-for-5 and drove in seven runs, in the loss.
Sioux Falls (47-37) scored 13 runs off 12 hits and committed one error. Lincoln (32-51) plated 11 runs with 11 hits and committed three errors, in a game that lasted three hours and forty-six minutes, in front of 2,149 fans.
The game was scoreless until the top of the third inning. Joe Vos hit a one-out single against Lincoln starter Dylan Castaneda. Then, Matt Ruiz and Jabari Henry drew back-to-back walks. The next batter, Matt Bottcher, hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Vos, to make it 1-0. Then, Calvin Estrada hit a three-run home run, his 18th of the season, to put Sioux Falls ahead, 4-0.
Lincoln cut into the lead in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Kyle Battle singled against Sioux Falls starter Ryan Zimmerman. Then, Jack Cone singled. Two batters later, Brody Fahr singled, driving in both runners, to make the score 4-2. Mikey Kane was hit by a pitch. Then, Neyfy Castillo singled, scoring Fahr, to make the score, 4-3.
The Saltdogs grabbed their first lead of the night in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Kyle Battle singled, then stole second base. Jack Cone, Danny Bautista, Jr., and Brody Fahr drew consecutive walks, the latter of which scored Battle, to tie the game at 4-4. Sioux Falls went to the bullpen and brought in Seth Miller. The next batter, Mikey Kane walked, scoring Cone, to put Lincoln in front 5-4.
However, the lead was short-lived, as Sioux Falls responded by sending ten batters to the plate and scored seven runs in the top of the seventh. With one out, Scott Combs and Joe Vos drew back-to-back walks, against Lincoln reliever Dominic Freeberger, making his Saltdogs debut. Then, Matt Ruiz singled, to load the bases. Lincoln went to the bullpen and brought in Matt Mullenbach. The first pitch he threw was a wild pitch, which scored Combs, to make it a 5-5 tie. Jabari Henry drew a walk, to reload the bases. Then, Matt Bottcher singled, driving in Vos and Ruiz, to make it 7-5, and an error by Jack Cone advanced Henry to third. The next batter, Calvin Estrada singled, scoring Henry, to make it 8-5. Then, Jordan Barth hit a three-run home run, his 16th of the season, to put Sioux Falls ahead, 11-5.
In the bottom of the eighth, Jack Cone drew a one out walk, for Lincoln. A Danny Bautista, Jr. groundout advanced Cone to second. Then, Brody Fahr singled, scoring Cone, to make the score 11-6.
Lincoln started another rally in the bottom of the ninth. Neyfy Castillo led off with a walk against Canaries reliever Ryan Richardson. Then, Spencer Henson reached on an error by Trevor Achenbach at second. Two batters later, with Lincoln down to its final out, Kyle Battle singled, scoring Castillo, to make it 11-7. Then, Jack Cone drew a four-pitch walk, to load the bases. The next batter, Danny Bautista, Jr., was hit by a pitch, which allowed Henson to score, to make it 11-8. The Canaries went to the bullpen and brought in Will Levine. The right-handed reliver jumped ahead of Brody Fahr, 0-and-2, and Lincoln was down to its last strike. However, Fahr worked the count to 3-and-2. With the bases loaded on the full count pitch, and the runners going, Fahr doubled to centerfield, and scored Battle, Cone and Bautista, Jr., to tie the game at 11-11. Levine got Mikey Kane to ground out to second for the final out, and force extra innings.
In the top of the tenth, Lincoln brought in reliever Sean Mullen to pitch. With Josh Rehwaldt as the placed runner at second, Trevor Achenbach laid down a bunt in front of home plate. First baseman Neyfy Castillo fielded the ball, but threw it away down the right field line, allowing Rehwaldt to score, putting Sioux Falls ahead 12-11. On the play, Achenbach advanced to second. Scott Combs grounded out to short, which advanced Achenbach to third, with one out. Then, Joe Vos hit a sacrifice fly, in foul territory, down the left field line, which scored Achenbach, to make the score, 13-11. Matt Ruiz singled, then stole second base. However, Mullen got Jabari Henry to line out to Brody Fahr at second, for the final out of the inning.
Mikey Kane was the placed runner for the Saltdogs, to begin the bottom of the tenth inning. Will Levine struck out Neyfy Castillo for the first out. Then, Spencer Henson popped up to Achenbach at second for the second out. The next batter, Drew DeVine hit a long, fly ball to deep left field, however, Matt Bottcher made the catch on the warning track, to end the game.
Sioux Falls starter Ryan Zimmerman pitched 5.2 innings, giving up five runs, off seven hits, struck out two and walked four. Seth Miller worked 2.1 innings, yielding one run, off one hit, struck out two and walked two. Ryan Richarson pitched 0.2 innings, surrendering five unearned runs, off two hits, struck out one and walked one. Will Levine (3-0) earned the win, pitching 1.1 innings, yielding one hit and struck out one.
Lincoln starting pitcher Dylan Castaneda pitched 5.0 innings, giving up four runs, off four hits and walked three. Dominic Freeberger pitched 1.1 innings, in his Saltdogs debut, giving up three runs off one hit and walked two. Matt Mullenbach faced four batters and gave up four runs off three hits and walked one. Jacob Roberts pitched 1.2 innings, yielding one hit, struck out five and walked one. Ethan Bates pitched 1.0 inning, in his Lincoln maiden voyage, and gave up one hit. Sean Mullen (0-1) took the loss, pitching 1.0 inning and gave up two unearned runs, off two hits.
Offensively for the Canaries, Matt Ruiz was 2-for-5. Matt Bottcher went 1-for-5 and drove in three runs. Calvin Estrada was 3-for-4 with four RBIs, including a three-run home run. Jordan Barth was 2-for-5, with a three-run home run. Joe Vos went 3-for-4 and drove in one run.
For the Saltdogs, Danny Bautista, Jr. was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Brody Fahr was 3-for-5 and drove in a Saltdogs individual game season-high seven runs. Mikey Kane was 0-for-3 and drove in one run. Neyfy Castillo went 3-for-6 with a run batted in. Kyle Battle was 3-for-5 and drove home one run.
Game four of the six-game series is Friday night. LHP Greg Loukinen (6-7, 5.77 ERA) will pitch for Lincoln. RHP Cole LaLonde (2-4, 3.86 ERA) will be on the mound for Sioux Falls. The first pitch will be 7:05 p.m. The game will be broadcast on KFOR 101.5 FM/1240 AM, with audio streaming live at: www.kfornow.com. Live video of the game will be available at: www.aabaseball.tv.
Friday night’s game is “Fireworks Friday”, with post-game fireworks. It’s also “Free Shirt Friday”, as shirts will be thrown into the crowd between innings, sponsored by Abante Marketing. It’s also “Military Appreciation Night”, sponsored by Budweiser. Plus, there will be a Jersey Auction, to benefit “Hearts for Healing”.
For tickets, merchandise, and promotional information, go to: www.saltdogs.com.