LINCOLN — Pete Parise delivered a strong outing, and Ian Gac and Matt Forgatch each homered as the Saltdogs (40-36) beat the Sioux Falls Canaries (31-44) 9-5 in front of 2,675 fans at Haymarket Park Tuesday night.
Parise (9-5) went seven innings, allowing just one earned run while striking our four and walking one to earn the victory.
Gac gave the Saltdogs the first-inning lead with a three-run shot to left, his 14th of the season. A Tyler Goodro RBI single made it 4-0 in the bottom of the first. Goodro's line drive struck Sioux Falls LHP Mitchell Clegg in the head, who had to leave the game but was able to walk off on his own.
Forgatch launched a seventh inning bomb to left, his fifth of the year, to make it 9-2 Lincoln.
Clegg (4-5) allowed four runs, two earned, in 2/3 of an inning to suffer the loss.
Mike Coles, David Espinosa and Forgatch each posted multi-hit games. Gary SouthShore lost Tuesday, pulling the 'Dogs to within five games of the wildcard lead.
The clubs are back at it Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. for game two of the three-game series. Mike Burns (4-4, 4.44) will take the hill against Adam Champion (6-7, 5.27). Radio coverage begins at 6:35 p.m. on KFOR 1240.