LINCOLN, Nebraska – Kyle Kinman gave up just one unearned run over 7.2 innings, and the ‘Dogs won for a second consecutive night with a 4-1 win over the Texas AirHogs at Haymarket Park on Thursday night.
Kinman went deeper into a game than any ‘Dogs starter has gone in 2019, yielding only one unearned run after his own throwing error advanced Stewart Ijames from first to third before scoring on a groundout in the 7th.
He had seven strikeouts and two walks, and now has a run of 12.2 scoreless innings without giving up an earned run dating back to his most recent start against Milwaukee.
Ivan Marin drove in the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly in the 3rd before John Sansone clubbed a two-run homer to right-center in the 4th.
Randolph Oduber restored the three-run lead with a solo homer in the 8th, and Jose Ortega worked around a two-out single in a scoreless 9th for his second save in as many appearances.
Sansone and Oduber now lead the club with four homers, and the ‘Dogs have nine homers over their last four games stretching back to the series opener at Fargo-Moorhead on Monday night. Prior to that, they had 10 homers in 16 games.
DonAndre Clark extended his season-best five-game hitting streak with a double, but Ivan Marin’s club-best 15-game on-base streak came to an end.
The ‘Dogs are now back to two games over .500 for the first time since a 3-1 start, and Game 2 of the four-game series is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Friday night with pregame coverage starting at 6:35 p.m. on ESPN Lincoln 101.5 FM/1480 AM.
The Saltdogs are playing their 19th season in Lincoln. All ticket and promo information can be found at saltdogs.com, and follow the ‘Dogs on Twitter/Instagram @saltdogsball.