KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Ian Gac homered and drove in six runs as the Saltdogs (45-37) doubled up the Kansas City T-Bones (32-50) 8-4 in front of 3,933 fans at CommunityAmerica Ballpark Monday night.
Gac went 3-for-4 with a double, homer and six RBI, the most runs driven in by a Lincoln player in 2013. The 'Dogs are eight games above .500 for the first time this year, and have now won four in a row, amassing 22 runs on 33 hits and seven home runs over the last two.
Mike Burns (6-4) pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out three and walking one to pick up the win. Ethan Cole (0-6) lasted three innings, surrendering five runs on nine hits to suffer the loss.
Gac's three-run homer in the third gave Lincoln a 4-2 lead. Brian Joynt provided a solo shot as an encore the very next batter, his sixth of the season.
David Espinosa went 4-for-5 with three runs and a stolen base. Curt Smith and Mike Coles each added two hits as well.
The Saltdogs and T-Bones play game two of the three-game series Tuesday night at 7:05. Luis Chirinos (3-3, 4.99) will square off against Shaun Garceau (5-8, 4.80). Radio coverage begins at 6:35 p.m. on KFOR 1240.