A new era began for the Lexington Legends on Tuesday night, and a familiar face made sure things got started on the right foot.
Former University of Kentucky standout Ben Aklinski hit a two-run home run in the second inning and a three-run shot in the fourth and Lexington held on for a 5-4 victory over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in their home opener at Legends Ballpark.
The Legends improved to 2-3 on the young season, their first in the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
Aklinski, who played for Kentucky in 2018 before two seasons in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, hit a 2-2 pitch from Southern Maryland starter Sam Burton over the center-field fence in the second for the first two runs of the game in front of an announced crowd of 2,509. Aklinksi got to Burton again in the fourth, this time going deep to left.
Burton, a Pikeville High School graduate who played collegiately at NCAA Division II Winston-Salem State, took the loss Tuesday, allowing five runs on four hits, striking out three and walking two in five innings.
Ty’Relle Harris earned the win for the Legends, pitching 2 2/3 innings in relief of starter Henry Owens. Each allowed two of Southern Maryland’s seven hits on the night. Owens struck out nine before departing after four innings.
Despite its fast start, Lexington needed to call on a major league veteran to secure the home-opening win.
After the Blue Crabs scored twice in the seventh and once in the eighth, former Cincinnati Red Tony Cingrani entered in the ninth and picked up his first save of the season. Cingrani struck out three of the four batters he faced swinging to end the Blue Crabs threat.
Another former Red also had a big night. Second baseman and three-time MLB All-Star Brandon Phillips, who recently became a part-owner of the Legends and was added to the playing roster Monday, went 2-for-4 and stole a base.
Lexington was scheduled to face Southern Maryland again Wednesday and Thursday nights before hosting a weekend series against the West Virginia Power Friday through Sunday.