LINCOLN – Attendance at Saltdogs games rose by eight percent in 2013 from a year ago, as fans helped the ‘Dogs crack the top 10 in all of Independent Baseball.

An average of 3,632 fans attended a Saltdogs contest at Haymarket Park this summer, ranking 10th among the 48 Independent Baseball clubs according to a BallparkDigest.com report.

“We would like to thank our terrific fans for their continued support of Saltdogs baseball,” Saltdogs President Charlie Meyer said. “A big thank you also goes out to our corporate sponsors, without whom none of this would be possible.”

The Winnipeg Goldeyes led the country at 5,880 fans per game, and five American Association teams ranked in the top 10.

The Saltdogs’ eight-percent attendance increase was tops among all clubs ranked in the top 10.

TRANSACTION REPORT

The Saltdogs released OF Mike Coles Wednesday. The club also traded RHP Stayton Thomas to Rockford (Frontier League) to complete the August 15 trade between the clubs that brought RHP Trevor Harden to Lincoln.

Coles, 30, hit .228 with 15 stolen bases in 44 games for Lincoln in 2013, coming over from Winnipeg in a July trade.

Thomas, 24-year former Texas Longhorns hurler, went 2-4 with a 4.94 ERA in 51 innings of work for the ‘Dogs in 2013