Saltdogs Lose Third Straight Game

LINCOLN, Neb. - The Gary SouthShore RailCats used another six-run inning to cement their 9-7 victory against the Lincoln Saltdogs on Wednesday night. Derek Lopez picked up the win for Gary (18-13) going one inning in relief of started Greg Bruso. Lincoln starter Michael Kesten was charged with the loss for the Saltdogs (16-15). He went 7 1/3 innings and allowed five earned runs.

The Saltdogs got on the board early in their second meeting with the RailCats of Gary. In the bottom of the first inning Lincoln sent eight men to the plate against Bruso. Cory Harris started the inning with a double down the third base line. Harris has now reached safely in every game for the Dogs this season. He was followed with a pair of RBI singles from Jake Whitesides and Bryan Warner to give the Dogs an early 3-0 lead.

Gary responded in the top half of the next inning with their second six run inning of the series. A majority of the Cats runs in the inning came off miscues from Lincoln as four Gary runs came from three errors in the inning.

More runs came for the Dogs in the bottom of the fifth inning. A one out double from Pichi Balet started the run for Lincoln followed by an RBI double by Josh Patton. Another single by Mike Goss put runners on the corners with one down for Albenis Machado. Machado came through with a first pitch blooper into left field scoring the second run of the inning.

Another run came in the sixth as the Dogs put two hits together. Harris hit a one out single up the middle and after advancing to second on a ground out came home off an RBI single from Warner. After six the Dogs trailed by only one run, 7-6.

In the seventh the Dogs squared the game at 7-7. Patton started off the inning with a single and was driven in by a ground ball RBI from Jason Corapci.

In the eighth inning the RailCats took the lead right back. With one down, Jay Pecci crushed a Michael Kesten pitch over the left field wall for a 9-7 Gary lead.

Gary and Lincoln will complete their three-game series on Thursday night at Haymarket Park. Brian Rodaway will take to the hill for Lincoln while Gary will counter with Jamie Bennett; start time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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