SIOUX CITY, Iowa — After overcoming a late two-run deficit to force extras, consecutive errors proved costly as the Saltdogs (8-19) fell 5-4 in 11 innings to the Sioux City Explorers (20-6) in front of 1,076 fans at Lewis and Clark Park Thursday night.
With the game tied at 4-4 after 10 innings, each team began the 11th with a runner on second base due to the league’s newly-adopted international extra-inning rule.
After Lincoln failed to score in the top of the 11th, the Explorers plated the walk-off winner in the bottom of the 11th following back-to-back two-out errors by Saltdogs infielders to complete the four-game sweep.
The Saltdogs trailed 3-0 after three innings and 4-2 after six. Lincoln tallied a run in the seventh and evened the game at 4-4 on a Mitch Canham double to right center in the ninth.
Rob Wort (3-0) pitched a perfect 11th inning with two strikeouts to get the win. Conor Spink (1-2) allowed an unearned run in 1 2/3 innings of relief to suffer the loss.
Rookie infielder Steve Pascual went 3-for-5 with a run and RBI, collecting his first three professional hits and scoring the equalizer in the ninth.
Canham’s ninth-inning double extended his hit streak to 17 games, tied for the fifth-longest in franchise history.
The Saltdogs had trailed every inning of the four-game series until the top of the ninth.
Lincoln returns home Friday night at 7:05 p.m. to open a series with the Joplin Blasters on a Fireworks Friday at Haymarket Park. Get your tickets now at saltdogs.com.