LINCOLN — Will Krout left Lincoln flummoxed as the Gary SouthShore RailCats (34-21) beat the Saltdogs (30-26) 7-1 in front of 2,888 fans to take the series opener at Haymarket Park Monday night.
Krout (2-4), allowed just one bloop single through seven innings. The 29-year old righty finished with 7 2/3 innings, one run on four hits, striking out six and walking none to earn the win.
Gary opened the game's scoring in the fifth, capitalizing on a Christian Vitters lead-off triple. The RailCats added two in the eighth and four in the ninth to put the game away.
Pete Parise (6-4) pitched very well in a losing cause, going seven, allowing one run on four hits to suffer the loss.
The Saltdogs scored their lone run on a Sean O'Connell sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Saltdogs reliever P.J. Zocchi and manager Ken Oberkfell were ejected in the middle of the eighth inning.
The clubs play game two of the three-game series Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. Mike Burns (3-3, 5.11) will take on Ari Ronick (5-4, 4.55). Radio coverage begins at 6:35 p.m. on KFOR 1240.