LINCOLN, NE – The Saltdogs (28-45) hit three home runs to power their way over Kansas City (35-35) by a final of 5-1.
INF Spencer Henson went deep twice in the series opener with a two-run and solo homer, his first multi-home run game of the season. Henson had previously had one hit in his last three games.
OF Kyle Battle went deep for the first time in a Lincoln uniform with a two-run homer over the left field fence. Battle now has hits in six of seven games as a Saltdog.
RHP Karan Patel tossed his fourth quality start of the season going 6.0 innings surrendering seven hits, one run which was earned, two walks, and striking out a season-high eight batters. Patel has given up only 10 earned runs in his last seven starts.
Kansas City opened up the scoring in the series opener with a solo homer, but that would be the only run production they would get.
In the bottom half, Henson hit his first of two homers of the night, a two-run shot to give Lincoln the lead for the rest of the way.
Fast forward to the sixth and Lincoln would strike again with two more long balls, this time Battle producing with a two-run shot, Henson with a solo shot for his second of the night. Lincoln had three hits through six innings, all of them homers.
RHP Dan Kubiuk appeared in the ninth and went 1-2-3 to close the door and Lincoln has now won four of their last five home games, seven of their previous 10 games.
Game two between Lincoln and Kansas City is set for 6:05 on Saturday night from Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Nebraska.
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.