LINCOLN – Brandon Jacobs tied the game with a two-run home run and Randolph Oduber walked it off with a two-run home run as the Lincoln Saltdogs beat the Texas Airhogs with walk-off blasts on back to back nights.
Texas (4-8) led the Saltdogs (6-6) 2-0 heading to the bottom of the 9th inning and turned to their closer Luis De La Cruz for the second night in a row. Saltdogs Manager Bobby Brown pinch hit Randolph Oduber for Brendan O’Brien and the Aruban outfielder came through with a lead-off single. Then Jacobs, who hit a walk-off home run off of De La Cruz last night, stepped to the plate. He worked a 1-1 count and then blasted a home run to deep center field to tie the game.
It was the second straight blown save for De La Cruz. He had not given up a hit in three innings of work before coming to Lincoln. It was Jacobs’ third home run of the season and all three have either given the Saltdogs the lead or tied the game.
De La Cruz got the next three Saltdogs out to send the game to extra innings. Both sides went down in order in the 10th inning.
Trevor Sealey hit a single up the middle off of Leuris Gomez to start the 11th inning. Then, Gomez hit Beamer Weems with a pitch to put two runners on with no outs. Cameron McVey was summoned to relieve Gomez. The new Saltdogs reliever walked Denis Phipps to load the bases. Next, McVey induced a pop up in foul territory for the first out. Cameron Monger followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Sealey to make the score 3-2. McVey got Brian Ragira to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the half inning.
So, the Saltdogs were down to their last chance for the third time in two games. Ivan Marin led off with a walk against Airhogs pitcher Jacob Morris. Then, Oduber belted the two-run walk-off home run to right-center field to win the game 4-3.
McVey earned the win for the Saltdogs while Morris was charged with the loss for Texas.
Denis Phipps hit a two-run shot of his own in the first inning to give the Airhogs the early advantage. Saltdogs starting pitcher Bennett Parry buckled down after that to work eight scoreless innings following the first. He pitched nine innings and gave up two runs on seven hits. He tied a Saltdogs season-high with nine strikeouts and didn’t issue a single walk.
Starter Tyler Bremer was effective for Texas, too. He lasted seven innings and didn’t allow a run on five hits and four strikeouts.
This is the Saltdogs fourth straight win and draws them to .500 for the third time this season. This is the first four game winning streak since July 20-23 of 2016.
The Saltdogs complete their first homestand on Wednesday night as they go for the sweep of the Airhogs. First pitch is at 6:45 PM and coverage begins at 6:15 PM on ESPN 1480 and saltdogs.com.
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