LINCOLN SALTDOGS GAME REPORT
Friday, July 14, 2006 at Haymarket Park, Lincoln, Neb.

Final Score
Sioux Falls (22-36) 200 030 210 8-10-2/ 7 LOB
@ Lincoln (34-24) 101 000 100 3- 7- 1/ 9 LOB
WP—Tony Cogan (6-2)
LP—Roger Lincoln (4-4)
SV—Matt Petrusek (3)

HR—Dennis Anderson, SF (5)
Time: 3:05
Attendance: 4,246

SIOUX FALLS WINS SERIES OPENER AT HAYMARKET PARK, 5-3

During the first half of the season, Lincoln enjoyed the view from first place the majority of the time en route to the title while Sioux Falls languished in last place. So far in the second half the roles have been reversed with the Canaries fighting to hold on to the top spot while the playoff-bound Saltdogs are pacing themselves in fifth. Friday night’s game at Haymarket Park played out that way with Sioux Falls taking an 8-3 decision in the first game of the series.

The Canaries got on the board first in a lengthy first inning courtesy of some sloppy defense that opened the door for a pair of runs to score. Lincoln climbed back with a run at a time scoring one in the bottom of the first when Evan Tartaglia led off with an infield single and advanced to second on a botched pickoff attempt. He went to third on a ground out by Bryan Warner and scored on a two-out single by Cory Harris. The Saltdogs then tied the game in the third inning which started with a double off the bat of Jay Yaconetti. It took four batters but Harris came through with another RBI single to bring in Yaconetti and make the score 2-2.

The Canaries broke the deadlock in the top of the fifth when two hits, two walks and a hit batter led off the inning and led to three runs for a 5-2 lead. Dennis Anderson extended the Sioux Falls advantage to five runs with a two-run homerun to right center in the seventh. Lincoln chipped a run off the lead when Tartaglia singled with two outs and scored on a double by Pichi Balet but that’s as close as they would get. The Dogs had opportunities to cut further close in on the Canaries, who added a run in the eighth, but Lincoln left five runners on base over their last four at bats in going down to defeat.

The two teams meet again on Saturday night at 7 p.m. with LHP Ben Fox (5-2, 5.05) starting for Lincoln against RHP Robert Barrett (1-0, 7.71).

www.saltdogs.com