LINCOLN, NE – The Lincoln Saltdogs and the American Association jointly announced the 2019 schedule today.
Find the online schedule at: https://saltdogs.com/schedule/.
The Saltdogs will open the season on a seven-game road swing from May 16-22. Lincoln starts the new campaign with a four-game set in Sioux City against the division-rival Explorers. The beginning of 2019 is a reversal of 2018 when Lincoln hosted seven games to start the season, including four against the X’s.
The 2019 home opener will be on Thursday, May 23rd against the Cleburne Railroaders. The four-game series kicks off a seven-game homestand.
First pitch for Monday-Saturday home games will be at 7:05 PM while Sunday games will start at 5:05 PMPM. Exceptions are a 5:05 first pitch on Memorial Day, a 12:05 PM start on July 9th and an 11:05 AM beginning for LPS Day on August 26th.
Saltdogs fans should plan to spend much of August at Haymarket Park. The ‘Dogs are home for 19 days, six more days than any other month. The August home games could give the Saltdogs a chance for a late-season playoffs push. Lincoln has finished with a winning record at home each of the last two seasons.
The league’s 2019 schedule also includes the return of the American Association All-Star Game. All-Star festivities are planned for July 22-23rd at CHS Field in St. Paul, MN. The league did not have an All-Star Game in 2018.
The league is keeping a two-division format and will maintain a nearly balanced schedule. Teams will play their division opponents in two home and two away series. They face out-of-division opponents in one home and one away series.
The exception to the divisions’ rule is with the Saltdogs’ newest division mate, the Sioux Falls Canaries. The ‘Dogs will travel to Sioux Falls twice but host the Canaries just once. Instead, the Saltdogs host the St. Paul Saints for two series.
The ‘Dogs’ first game against the league’s newest team, the Milwaukee Milkmen, is on May 31st in Wisconsin. The Milkmen make their first journey to Haymarket Park from June 18-20.
The Saltdogs will end the regular season with three games in northwest Indiana against the Gary SouthShore RailCats. The ‘Dogs ended 2017 in Gary and clinched a division title at U.S. Steel Yard.
2018 was the 18th season of Saltdogs baseball in Lincoln. For more information on the Saltdogs, follow the team on Facebook and Twitter/Instagram @saltdogsball.