Saltdogs Even Up Series

LINCOLN, Neb. * The Lincoln Saltdogs used a record performance from Bryan Warner to beat up the Sioux Falls Canaries 18-7 on Friday night. Warner set a season record and a game record for RBIs in support of his pitching staff.

Kyle Ruwe (2-0) won his second game in as many starts for the Saltdogs, going six innings and allowing four runs. Carlton Wells and Edgar Escobedo came in to finish out the game from the bullpen. Mike Rodriguez took the loss for the Canaries going only 1 1/3 innings and allowing seven earned runs. Alexis Encarnacion pitched four innings of relief work for Sioux Falls and allowed only two runs on five hits.

It didn't take the Saltdogs long to get on the board after only scoring two runs on the first game of the series. The first four batters to come to the plate for Lincoln all scored. Cory Harris started the scoring when he came home on an error by Canaries' catcher Kirk Pierce, who overthrew Rodriquez after a pitch. The next throw by Rodriguez was taken out of the park by Bryan Warner who has homered twice in as many days against Sioux Falls. Pichi Balet followed with a home run of his own to the same field as Warner. For Balet it was his 10th home run of the season. After one inning of play the Dogs had a 4-0 lead over the Canaries.

The Saltdogs poured on more runs in their next half inning. Jake Whitesides started the inning with a double and he score on a single by Albenis Machado. The next pitch, Bryan Warner took out to right field for his 18th home run of the season.

For the third straight inning, the Saltdogs got runners across the plate. Bryan Warner picked up his 78th RBI of the season on a fielders' choice to tie his season record set back in 2002. Then Cory Harris scored on a wild pitch by Billy Zbacnik to give the Dogs a 10-0 lead. A double by Dan Underwood gave the Dogs their third straight inning with four runs scored against Canary pitching. Jake Whitesides finished the scoring in the inning with an RBI double to right center field.

Sioux City got on the board in the top of the fourth inning with an Edgard Clemente bomb to left field, his 19th of the season to lead the Northern League. After a single by Juan Thomas, Abner Arroyo hit his 10th home run of the season to right field, closing the gap to 14-3.

Anthony Monegan hit a one out single in the next inning and scored on a double to the center field wall by Clemente, his second RBI of the game.

The Saltdogs scored again in the bottom of the fifth inning. With the bases loaded, Jake Whitesides hit a fly ball to right field that fell between three Canaries scoring a runner from third and keeping the bases full. Warner picked up two more RBIs off a double just inside the left field foul line. With that Warner picked up the Saltdog records for most RBIs in a game at seven and most RBIs in a season at 80, both records he had held previously.

Lincoln matched their season high mark of 18 runs in the game to improve their record to 35-27 on the year and 8-6 in the second half to stay on top of the Southern Division. Sioux Falls drops to 25-36 and 8-6 in the second half. The rubber game of the series will pit Michael Kesten (5-2) for Lincoln against Tony Cogan (3-3) for Sioux Falls. Start time is set for 7:05 p.m. at Haymarket Park.

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