LINCOLN — Mitch Canham and Jon Gaston each homered but once again the pitching was a letdown as the Saltdogs (5-13) fell to the Winnipeg Goldeyes (8-10) 8-6 in front of 2,650 fans at Haymarket Park Tuesday night.
The second pitch of the game was sent over the fence by Winnipeg lead-off hitter Casio Grider and the Fish went on to plate three before Lincoln made it 3-2 after an inning thanks to a Canham home run into the terrace.
Winnipeg scored four runs in the top of the sixth to make it 7-2. The Saltdogs then battled back, tallying three in the bottom-half, capped off by a Matt Forgatch two-out, two-run double to left center, and another in the eighth on a Gaston opposite field lead-off homer (his league-leading fifth).
The Goldeyes the capitalized on an error to score an unearned insurance run in the top of the ninth to make it 8-6.
Kyle Anderson (1-1) pitched five-plus innings, allowing three runs on four hits while fanning a season-high seven to earn the win. Kevin McGovern (1-1) yielded six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings to suffer the loss.
Jailen Peguero struck out the side in a perfect ninth to book his fourth save of the season, and his second in as many nights.
Canham finished 2-for-4 with a home run, double, two runs and two RBI to raise his league-best batting average to .458.
The Saltdogs have now lost 11 of their last 12 games.
The clubs play the series finale Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m. RHP Shairon Martis (0-0, 0.00) will face off against RHP Rob Nixon (1-1, 4.77). Radio coverage begins at 6:05 p.m. on KFOR 1240.
Wednesday promotions: Wiener Wednesday with $1 Fairbury Brand hot dogs and it’s also Farm Bureau Ag Night. Get your tickets now at www.saltdogs.com.