Saltdogs win fifth straight
Lincoln Saltdogs manager Tim Johnson was thrilled to have his ace back Tuesday.
After struggling during his first two starts, pitcher Jarrett Gardner looked like his old self Tuesday night at Haymarket Park, giving up only one run in seven innings as the Saltdogs beat the Sioux Falls Canaries 5-2.
“Gardy has been struggling,” Johnson said. “He’s been with (Jim) Haller in the bullpen and that was the old Jarrett. He’s been the ace of our staff, and he looked like himself and looked relaxed.”
In his first two outings, Gardner gave up 10 runs and couldn’t get past the fourth inning in either game. Tuesday, Gardner gave up only one run, five hits and struck out three in seven innings. Gardner said he simply had better mechanics Tuesday night.
“I worked on a better leg drive and tried to get ahead in the count,” Gardner said. “In my first two outings, I was behind in the count and wasn’t locating well. Today, it seemed like I was always up on somebody. If you can get ahead, you can make them chase some stuff.”
The Saltdogs wasted no time getting Gardner a lead. Center fielder Jonny Kaplan led off the bottom of the first with a triple and came home on shortstop Anthony Contreras’ single. The triple extended Kaplan’s hitting streak to 10 games.
The Saltdogs added another run in the second. Ben Tinius’ double scored Shawn McGill from first base.
Gardner started off the game by pitching four scoreless innings. The Canaries finally got to him in the top of the fifth, when former Saltdog Josh Patton hit a solo home run to right-center field.
That was all the Canaries could score off Gardner, last year’s most-dependable Saltdogs starter. After Patton’s homer, he gave up only one more hit before leaving the game after the seventh.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Saltdogs extended their lead.
Eduardo Rios led off the inning with a towering solo home run to left field. Newly acquired Mario Delgado followed the homer with a single and was moved over to third on a Luis Perez double. Despite having two runners in scoring position with none out, the Saltdogs failed to score again in the sixth.
The Saltdogs rallied again in the eight, loading the bases and scoring two more runs on Tinius’ two-out single.
“We just played all-around good baseball,” Johnson said. “Our defense played outstanding, and Ben (Tinius) had those two big base hits.”
Reach Tommy Dahlk at 473-7431 or tdahlk@journalstar.com.
After struggling during his first two starts, pitcher Jarrett Gardner looked like his old self Tuesday night at Haymarket Park, giving up only one run in seven innings as the Saltdogs beat the Sioux Falls Canaries 5-2.
“Gardy has been struggling,” Johnson said. “He’s been with (Jim) Haller in the bullpen and that was the old Jarrett. He’s been the ace of our staff, and he looked like himself and looked relaxed.”
In his first two outings, Gardner gave up 10 runs and couldn’t get past the fourth inning in either game. Tuesday, Gardner gave up only one run, five hits and struck out three in seven innings. Gardner said he simply had better mechanics Tuesday night.
“I worked on a better leg drive and tried to get ahead in the count,” Gardner said. “In my first two outings, I was behind in the count and wasn’t locating well. Today, it seemed like I was always up on somebody. If you can get ahead, you can make them chase some stuff.”
The Saltdogs wasted no time getting Gardner a lead. Center fielder Jonny Kaplan led off the bottom of the first with a triple and came home on shortstop Anthony Contreras’ single. The triple extended Kaplan’s hitting streak to 10 games.
The Saltdogs added another run in the second. Ben Tinius’ double scored Shawn McGill from first base.
Gardner started off the game by pitching four scoreless innings. The Canaries finally got to him in the top of the fifth, when former Saltdog Josh Patton hit a solo home run to right-center field.
That was all the Canaries could score off Gardner, last year’s most-dependable Saltdogs starter. After Patton’s homer, he gave up only one more hit before leaving the game after the seventh.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Saltdogs extended their lead.
Eduardo Rios led off the inning with a towering solo home run to left field. Newly acquired Mario Delgado followed the homer with a single and was moved over to third on a Luis Perez double. Despite having two runners in scoring position with none out, the Saltdogs failed to score again in the sixth.
The Saltdogs rallied again in the eight, loading the bases and scoring two more runs on Tinius’ two-out single.
“We just played all-around good baseball,” Johnson said. “Our defense played outstanding, and Ben (Tinius) had those two big base hits.”
Reach Tommy Dahlk at 473-7431 or tdahlk@journalstar.com.
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