LINCOLN – Saltdogs’ pitchers combined to strike out 16 batters, but Lincoln was bested by the Kansas City T-Bones 9-5 in an exhibition game at Haymarket Park Thursday night.
The T-Bones jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, propelled by two early home-runs from Byron Wiley and Nick Giarraputo.
Giarraputo tagged another solo homer in the third to extend Kansas City’s lead, before Jon Gaston put the Saltdogs on the big board with a solo shot of his own in the fourth, his second of the pre-season.
Kansas City pulled away with five runs on five hits in the top of the eighth to push the advantage to 9-2.
Lincoln posted three runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by a Trevor Martin run-scoring triple.
The Saltdogs are now 2-1 in exhibition play, and will host Winnipeg in a pre-season tilt Friday night at 6:05 p.m.
Saltdogs’ hitting lines:
Maikol Gonzalez, ss: 0-4, BB, R
Trevor Martin, 2b: 1-5, 3B, RBI, R
Jon Gaston, cf: 2-3, HR, RBI, R, BB
Ian Gac, 1b: 2-3, RBI, R, BB
Brian Joynt, rf: 1-4
Chad Mozingo, dh: 2-4, 3B, R
Matt Forgatch, lf: 0-4
Eddie Young, 3b: 1-4, RBI
Chris Anderson, c: 0-4
Saltdogs’ pitching lines:
Marquis Fleming, rhp: 2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, loss
T.J. Bozeman, rhp: 2 IP, H, ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Trey Barham, lhp: 2 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
Ian Kadish, rhp: 2 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Michael Click, rhp: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
The Saltdogs open up the 2014 on May 15 at Kansas City. The home opener is set for May 23 at 7:05 p.m. against Winnipeg. To get your Saltdogs Pick 5 ticket plan for just $45 today, call 402-474-2255 or visit www.saltdogs.com.