Saltdogs Win 4th Straight

LINCOLN, Neb. * The Lincoln Saltdogs continued their strong offensive output with another 11 run performance. This time it was just enough to get by the Edmonton Cracker-Cats with an 11-10 victory. Saltdog starter Humberto Cardenas improved his record to 2-2 while pitching 5 1/3 innings and allowing five earned runs. Aric Van Gaalen (2-2) was charged with the loss for Edmonton going four innings and allowing all 11 Saltdog runs.

Unlike the past three games the Saltdogs didn't put up a run in the first inning, they waited until the second. Josh Patton started the inning with a high fly shot to left field that fell between three Cracker-Cat players. Kevin Sullivan brought Patton home with his next at-bat, a line drive single to left center. After a walk put runners on 1st and 2nd Albenis Machado drove another line drive single to left center scoring Sullivan for a 2-0 lead. Cory Harris drove in the Dogs' third run of the inning with a ground out to third base.

The Cracker-Cats answered in the top of the third inning with a run of their own. Chuck MacFarlane started Edmonton off with a single and he came around to score after another single from Chris Baker. With that run the Cats pulled within two runs after their half of the third.

The Dogs took advantage of three wild pitches and a pair of walks in the bottom of the third inning as they scored five times to take an 8-1 lead. A pair of RBI doubles from Harris and Machado highlighted the inning for the Dogs in an inning where nine batters came to the plate.

Edmonton continued to answer the Saltdogs in the top of the fourth inning when Kyle Leon hit a two-run home run to left field bringing the Cats within five.

In the bottom of the fourth another three runs came across the plate for Lincoln. The Dogs had six straight hits in the inning with Gabe Suarez rounding out the inning with a two RBI double giving Lincoln an 11-3 lead.

Edmonton came right back in the top of the sixth inning. Nine Cats came to the plate and scored a pair of runs with bases loaded walks. Brandon Kaye and Kyle Leon started the inning with a pair of hits and both runners came around to score cutting the Dogs' lead to 11-7.

Two more runs came for Edmonton in the top of the eighth inning with a two run homer from lead off hitter Stubby Clapp. For Clapp it was his third homer of the season and it brought the Cats within two runs of the Saltdogs.

For the Saltdogs they are now on a four game winning streak after sweeping Joliet and taking the first game against Edmonton. In that stretch the Dogs have scored a total of 42 runs to stay undefeated in the month of July. In the second game of the series Lincoln will throw Rodney Myers (1-2) while the Cracker-Cats are scheduled to send Ira Brown (1-3) to the hill. First pitch time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Haymarket Park.

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