On a night of free admission, the St. Joseph Mustangs gave fans pretty much what they paid for.

But the Mustangs survived their five errors to rack up a sloppy 8-3 victory against the Kansas City MSBL Royals before a crowd of 2,729 on Monday night.

It was a particularly tough night for shortstop Sam Lind, who on a hitless night at the plate muffed each of his first four fielding chances over the first 5 2/3 innings before successfully fielding a grounder.

"He had a tough day," Mustangs manager Matt Johnson admitted. "He just wasn't picking through the ball like he usually does. He'll be out here tomorrow, taking ground balls and going to work, so I'm not worried about him."

Lind and starting pitcher Dominic Marchesi (1-2) were bailed out by an 11-hit performance, including a two-run home run by left fielder Brian Brown - his first of the season - and a solo shot by Johnny Coy, his third of the summer.

"Brownie just missed a couple others," Johnson said. "He could have easily had three tonight. The two that he popped up, he just got a little under them a little bit."

Added Brown, "That last at-bat I just made a little adjustment and got ahold of it."

Two errors by the Royals didn't hurt the Mustangs' chances, either, as a throwing miscue by Royals third baseman Brian Gomez allowed Greg Noble to score in a four-run fifth inning.

Marchesi and the Mustangs got out of a huge jam in the fourth when a pair of singles and Lind's third error of the game loaded the bases with two out. But Marchesi got Ryan Reed to fly out to center field to end the threat.

The Royals' Andrew Gray tied it up 3-3 in the fifth with a three-run home run to left field to temporarily put this one in doubt.

Marchesi scattered seven hits in his first start of the season before leaving in the seventh in favor of Ryan Hook. Hook pitched two hitless innings and Drew Garwood closed it out.

Royals starter Steve Maurin allowed seven runs and 10 St. Joseph hits over 4 2/3 innings in taking the loss.

The Royals (13-11), a Ban Johnson League team, are coached by former Bishop LeBlond all-stater Michael Evans - who is the grandson of former Missouri Western coach Doug Minnis - and former Northwest Missouri State football and baseball player Jake Bradshaw.

The Mustangs (23-14) continue their non-league foray at 7 tonight at Phil Welch Stadium against Junction City. They will play that team in Junction City, Kan., on Wednesday night before closing out the regular season with four straight MINK League games.

The Mustangs trail the Chillicothe Mudcats by three games in the MINK League standings, with their final three contests against the Mudcats.