LINCOLN, Nebraska – Justin Byrd hit a three-run homer, Kyle Kinman tossed five shutout innings, and the Lincoln Saltdogs beat the Sioux Falls Canaries 5-1 for the first Opening Night win at Haymarket Park in franchise history.
Byrd broke a scoreless tie with his first homer in the fifth inning, while Skyler Weber added a two-out RBI single in the sixth. Ryan Long’s sacrifice fly made it 5-0 in the seventh.
Sioux Falls’s Kona Quiggle broke the shutout with a solo homer in the eighth, but the ‘Dogs held on to win for the first time in three tries on Opening Night at home.
Kyle Kinman, in his second consecutive Opening Night start, went five innings and allowed just two hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.
Byrd went 2-for-3 with the homer and a walk, while Long went 1-for-3 with the sacrifice fly. JR DiSarcina had a double in his first Saltdogs start, while Randy Norris went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Josh Altmann had two walks, Matt Goodheart had a hit and a run scored, and Eddy Martinez singled with a run scored.
Carter Hope, David Zoz and Steffon Moore each pitched scoreless frames in relief, while Carson Lance allowed one run in one inning.
The ‘Dogs are now 2-1 against the Canaries on Opening Night, and Lincoln has won nine of 11 against Sioux Falls going back to May of last year.
The ‘Dogs continue the three-game series on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., and pregame coverage begins at 6:35 p.m. on Lincoln’s ESPN.