Lincoln Rolls Over RailCats
Published on August 30, 2025 under American Association (AA)
Lincoln Saltdogs News Release
Gary, Indiana- The Lincoln Saltdogs defeated the Gary SouthShore RailCats 12-1, Saturday, at U.S. Steel Yard. With the victory, the Saltdogs have claimed the first two games in the four-game series.
Lincoln (41-57) extended its winning streak to four games by scoring 12 runs, off ten hits and committed no errors. Gary SouthShore (37-61) plated one run, off six hits and committed two errors, in a game that lasted two hours and thirty-nine minutes, in front of 3,044 fans.
The Saltdogs started the scoring in the top of the third inning. Drew DeVine led off the inning with a single, against RailCats starting pitcher Deyni Olivero, then stole second base. Rolando Espinosa singled, putting runners on the corners. Then, Griffin Everitt singled to center field, scoring DeVine, to put Lincoln in front, 1-0. The next batter, Danny Bautista, Jr., grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, however Espinosa scored, to make it a 2-0 Lincoln lead.
Gary SouthShore cut the Lincoln lead in half in the bottom of the third. Jake Hoover led off the inning with a double, against Lincoln starter Franny Cobos. Three batters later, Marcos Gonzales singled, scoring Hoover, to make the score, 2-1.
Lincoln responded by blowing the game open in the top of the sixth. Danny Bautista Jr. led off the inning by grounding to third, however, reached on a throwing error. Then, Brody Fahr drew a walk, as did Kyle Battle, to load the bases. The next batter, Neyfy Castillo, grounded to short, which forced out Battle. Castillo beat out the relay throw to first, preventing the double play. Bautista, Jr. scored, to make it a 3-1 Lincoln lead. Then, Yusniel Diaz singled, scoring Fahr, to make the score, 4-1. Two batters later, Drew DeVine singled, bringing home Castillo, and pushing the score to 5-1. Then, Rolando Espinosa doubled down the left field line, scoring Diaz and DeVine, which put Lincoln up by a score of 7-1.
The Saltdogs extended the lead in the top of the eighth. Neyfy Castillo led off the inning with a single. After Yusniel Diaz struck out looking, Max Hewitt bounced out to the pitcher's mound, which advanced Castillo to second. Then, Drew DeVine singled, scoring Castillo, to make the score 8-1. The next batter, Rolando Espinosa, hit a two-run home run inside the left field foul pole, to make the score 10-1.
In the top of the ninth, the Lincoln offense added two more runs. Facing Gary SouthShore reliever Demarcus Evans, Danny Bautista, Jr. led off the inning with a walk. Two batters later, Kyle Battle walked. After a Neyfy Castillo flyout, Yusniel Diaz drew a walk, to load the bases. Then, Max Hewitt hit a flair to shallow left which shortstop Elvis Peralta could not quite haul in, and Bautista, Jr. and Battle scored, to make it a 12-1 Saltdogs lead.
Dominic Freeberger came on to pitch for Lincoln in the bottom of the ninth. He struck out LG Castillo to begin the inning. Then, Carlos Machado doubled to the left field corner. However, Freeberger struck out Nick Ultsch, swinging, then Jake Hoover, looking, to end the game.
Lincoln starting pitcher Franny Cobos (6-2) earned the win, pitching 6.0 innings, giving up one run, off five hits, struck out four, with no walks. Wills Montgomerie pitched 1.0 inning and walked two. Dylan Beck worked 1.0 inning and struck out one. Dominic Freeberger pitched 1.0 inning, giving up one hit, and struck out three.
Gary SouthShore starter Deyni Olivero (4-6) took the loss, after pitching 8.0 innings, giving up ten runs, five earned, off nine hits, struck out four and walked two. Demarcus Evans pitched 1.0 inning, yielding two runs, off one hit and walked three.
Offensively for the Saltdogs, Danny Bautista, Jr. was 0-for-4 with an RBI. Neyfy Castillo went 1-for-5 and drove in one run. Yusniel Diaz was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Max Hewitt went 1-for-5 and knocked in two runs. Drew DeVine was 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Rolando Espinosa was 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and four runs batted in. Griffin Everitt was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
For the RailCats, Marcos Gonzalez was 1-for-4 and drove in one run.
Game Three of the four game series is Sunday night. RHP Dylan Castaneda (3-4, 4.70 ERA) will pitch for Lincoln. RHP Peyton Long (7-7, 4.06 ERA) will be on the mound for Gary SouthShore. The first pitch will be at 6:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on KFOR 101.5 FM/1240 AM with audio streaming at: www.kfornow.com. Live video of the game will be available at: www.aabaseball.tv.
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