KANSAS CITY, Kan. — After Thursday's opener was suspended following the 13th inning due to the league's midnight curfew, the game resumed Friday evening at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The Saltdogs (1-1) won 11-7 in 16 innings but were edged by the T-Bones (1-1) 3-2 in game two of the series.
Jon Gaston delivered the go-ahead RBI single for Lincoln in the top of the 16th inning of the continued season-opener, which was followed by a Kevin Howard RBI double and two more runs via a T-Bones error.
Conor Spink (1-0) was remarkable for the Saltdogs in relief to earn the win. The 26-year old left-hander threw two scoreless late Thursday night, and three additional scoreless frames on Friday evening in the same game. On two different occasions, Spink wiggled his way out of two-men-in-scoring-position, one-out jams.
Gaston finished game one of the series 4-for-8 with a home run, two doubles and four runs scored. Chad Mozingo had four hits, while Howard and Ian Gac chipped in for three a piece as part of a 23-hit affair for the 'Dogs.
Andy Noga (0-1) allowed the four runs in the 16th inning – a game that last five hours and thirty minutes – to wear the loss.
In the second game of the series, Lincoln starting pitcher Eric Brooks (0-1) retired the final 17 hitters he faced, but allowed two runs in the first inning and suffered the loss.
Gac hit an opposite field homer in a losing effort in game two.
Rick Zagone (1-0) pitched six strong innings to earn the win for Kansas City while Chris Squires twirled a perfect ninth to book his first save.
The Saltdogs and T-Bones play game three of the four-game series Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. RHP Marquis Fleming will toe the slab for Lincoln against Pat Doyle for Kansas City. Radio coverage begins at 6:35 p.m. on KFOR 1240.