LINCOLN, NE – The Saltdogs (24-42) used power to take the series opener over Chicago (34-31) by a final of 5-3.
INF Alex Baeza followed up his Player of the Week honors with a two-hit performance driving in 3 RBIs. He has 9 RBIs in his last two games.
C Luke Roskam also posted a two-hit performance including a solo home run, his seventh of the season.
INF Drew Devine also played long ball hitting his fifth of the season, he has homered twice in his last five games.
The Saltdogs opened the scoring first for the third consecutive game with Baeza’s three-run double in the second. Chicago would counter with a two-run double of their own in the top of the third to make it a one-run lead.
Solo homers from Devine in the fourth and Roskam in the sixth pushed the lead back out to three for Lincoln as the bullpen took over.
Chicago threatened in the top of the eighth inning scoring one run but left runners on the corners.
RHP Dan Kubiuk appeared in the ninth and went 1-2-3 to pick up his 13th save of the season, he is just two shy of his 2023 total of 15 with Ogden.
Game two between Lincoln and Chicago is scheduled for 7:05 Friday night for a “Fireworks Friday” night at Haymarket Park.
Catch every Saltdogs game home and away on KFOR FM 101.5/1240 AM or stream live for free on aabaseball.tv, new for the 2024 season.