GENEVA, Ill. – The Sioux Falls Canaries won a wild 13-inning contest 9-6 at Northwestern Medicine Field Friday night. Wyatt Ulrich reached a season-high six times in the game.
The contest lasted 5 hours and 10 minutes. The Birds led 3-2 in the ninth before a Jeffrey Baez home run tied the game. The Canaries struck for three in the 11th only to have the Cougars tie the contest at 6-6. In the 13th, new catcher Garrett Hope came up with an RBI single to give the Canaries a lead they would not relinquish.
Ryan Patrick (1-0) earned the win by pitching a scoreless 12th. He loaded the bases in the 13th before Grady Wood entered to notch his second save of the season and seal the three-run win. Former Canary Eddie Medina (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing three Birds runs in the 13th.
Ulrich has now reached base in 50 straight games and is just six games away from equaling the all-time American Association record of 56 straight games aboard, set by Stephen Douglas in 2011. Zane Gurwitz and Trey Michalczewski each finished with four hits in the game and combined for three RBI. Angelo Altavilla finished with two hits and two RBI. The Birds outhit the Cougars 19-12.
The contest was the second to go to extra innings this season for the Canaries. The team is now 1-1 in extra frame games. The Birds left 19 on bases in the game while Kane County left 14.
The teams will meet again Saturday at 6:30 pm. Canaries righty Angel Ventura (6-5, 6.12 ERA) will face RHP Tyler Viza (3-1, 2.59 ERA) on the mound for the Cougars.
A live broadcast of all away games will be available via Fox Sports 98.1 FM and American Association Baseball TV. The Canaries will be back home August 10th at 7:05 pm to take on the Cleburne Railroaders.
For more information on the Canaries, follow the team on Twitter @canaries. To purchase tickets and for all other team information, visit sfcanaries.com. Media contact: joey@sfcanaries.com.
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