Kansas City 3, Lincoln 2- Box
The T-Bones edged the Saltdogs 3-2 in their season opener thanks to a three-run rally in the bottom of the eighth. Trailing 2-0 heading into the inning, 2B Brett Wiley drew a leadoff walk, and went to second on a single from C Christian Correa. After Wiley went to third on a wild pitch, SS Eddie Newton laced an RBI single to put the T-Bones on the board. With two outs in the frame, LF Marcus Lemon came up and hit a two-RBI single, driving in Correa and Newton to turn a one-run deficit into a lead.
Five different players had a hit for Kansas City, including DH Kevin Keyes, who doubled in the fourth.
On the mound, RHP Aaron Brooks worked a scoreless eighth to take the win, and RHP Cody Winiarski preserved the lead in the ninth to pick up a save.
Lincoln RF Randolph Oduber was 2-for-4 with an RBI in the losing effort.
St. Paul 2, Gary SouthShore 1- Box
CF Breland Almadova hit an RBI fielder’s choice in the bottom of the seventh to plate 2B Tanner Vavra and give the Saints a 2-1 win over the visiting RailCats. Vavra hit a one-out double, and RF Danny Oh followed with a single to push Vavra to third. Almadova hit a ground ball to short that would retire Oh, but Vavra was able to score.
LF Anthony Gallas was the lone Saint to notch a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3. After his second inning single, a double by C Tony Caldwell plated Gallas for the Saints’ first win.
LHP Kenneth Frosch tossed a scoreless seventh inning in relief for the win, and RHP Seth Rosin struck out two in the ninth to earn the save.
For Gary SouthShore, CF Chase Harris went 2-for-3 with a double.
Sioux Falls 5, Sioux City 4- Box
Continuing the trend of one-run games, the Canaries grabbed their first win on the season with a 5-4 road triumph over their rival Explorers. Despite Sioux City scoring three times in the home half of the first, the Canaries scored in four separate innings to gradually take and maintain the lead. SS Blake Schmit put Sioux Falls on the board with a two-RBI single in the second, followed up by a sacrifice fly from 2B BJ Guinn, Jr. to tie the game in the third. A bases-loaded walk to DH Jake Taylor in the seventh gave the Canaries their first lead, and a run scored in the eighth on an error to provide necessary insurance, as the Explorers plated a ninth-inning run.
Schmit and 1B Chris Jacobs had two hits apiece for the Canaries in the win.
LHP Josh Ferrell struck out four in two scoreless relief innings for the win, while RHP Jose Ortega preserved the lead in the ninth for his first save.
For Sioux City, CF Tony Campana went an impressive 4-for-4 with an RBI.
Winnipeg 6, Cleburne 4- Box
The Goldeyes took the lead in the seventh inning and never looked back, winning their second straight game over the host Railroaders by a 6-4 final score. Trailing 4-3 heading to the top of the seventh, the Goldeyes got a man aboard courtesy of an error, and DH David Bergin followed with a single. Up stepped CF Reggie Abercrombie, who launched a three-run home run which wound up winning the game and setting the final score.
The blast was part of a two-hit night for Abercrombie, and would only be surpassed by 1B Shawn Pleffner’s four-hit effort.
LHP Kenny Matthews tossed 1.1 scoreless relief innings for the win, and RHP Ryan Chafee nailed the game down in the ninth for the save.
Cleburne C Shawn Zarraga was 4-for-4 in the loss.
Wichita 6, Salina 3- Box
The Wingnuts scored six runs between the third and fourth innings, enough to build a lead they would not relinquish in a 6-3 season-opening win over Salina. With two runs already home in the bottom of the third and a runner on, 1B Matt Chavez belted a two-run homer to put Wichita up 4-1. An inning later, CF Harrison Kain added two more runs with a two-RBI single.
Chavez and Kain finished with two hits each, as the duo made up half of the Wingnuts’ eight hits.
On the mound, RHP Alex Boshers struck out five while allowing just two runs on two hits over six innings, earning the win. RHP Seth Harvey struck out a batter in a scoreless ninth for the save.
C Jesse Baker homered for Salina in the loss.
Fargo-Moorhead 8, Texas 3- Box
An offensive onslaught of seven runs in innings 4-7 was enough for the RedHawks to take an 8-3 road win over the AirHogs. SS Yhoxian Medina and 2B Ryan Pineda each hit RBI singles in a two-run fourth, and three-more runs came across in the sixth. Medina continued his big night with a two-run homer in the seventh, stretching the lead to 7-3.
In all, Medina went 3-for-5, collecting a third of the RedHawks’ nine hits.
RHP Jose Almarante struck out three over five innings of work for Fargo-Moorhead, earning the win. The save went to RHP Jose Nivar, who kept the AirHogs off the board for the final two innings, striking out three in the process.
Texas 1B Levi Scott was 3-for-4 in the loss.
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