Dumped by Pensacola in late July and signed by the Lincoln Saltdogs four days later, Rafael Alvarez was excited about facing his previous team in the American Association league championship series.

Alvarez hit a solo home run and singled in another to spark the Saltdogs to a 6-1 win over the Pelicans in the second game of the best-of-five series for the league title Wednesday before 1,833 fans at Haymarket Park.

"I've been hoping for the chance to do something to prove to Pensacola that I can still hit, I can still play," said Alvarez, who leads Lincoln in hitting in the playoffs and for the season. "I was waiting for that pitch and I got a hold of it and it went a long way."

The Saltdogs, hitting just .207 in the playoffs, were a decided underdog to the Pelicans, who were batting .322 in the playoffs and close to .300 for the season.

"Alvarez was the spike and Brandon Jones hammered it home with a couple of big doubles," said Lincoln hitting coach Chris Miyaki, who was acting in charge after manager Marty Scott was ejected in the third inning.

"We weren't sure after we left the bases loaded with no outs in the second (after three consecutive strikeouts)," Miyaki said. "But it seemed like everybody relaxed and was more determined to get the job done."

Lincoln also counted on the pitching of Jim Paduch, who fought through six innings, allowing just four hits and one run. The Saltdogs relievers came through again for Lincoln, which has counted on impressive pitching the final two weeks of the regular season and all through the playoffs.

"Paduch didn't have his best stuff but he fought through some tough situations and he kept us in long enough to get to Matt Petrusek and Chris Thompson," Scott said.

"Our pitching has been tremendous and tonight, the hitting was great," he said. "Alvarez might have pressed too hard to get going Tuesday night, but he really sat in there and made it work tonight. And his next time up, with a completely different pitch, he lines it to right center to score another run."

Lincoln heads to Pensacola, Fla., for the next two, and possibly three games with the series tied 1-1.

"This team has played so well with its back to the wall the last two weekends - on the brink of elimination by Wichita last week and out of the playoffs the weekend before," Scott said. "But they battle back and I wouldn't be surprised by anything they get done in Pensacola.

"They are tested under pressure."

The Saltdogs left Lincoln with a 1-1 record against Wichita in the first round of the playoffs. Wichita won the next game at home but the Saltdogs rallied to win the next two games and take the North Division championship and reach the American Association title series for the first time in the nine-year history of the Lincoln franchise.

Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or khambleton@journalstar.com.