THREE-RUN SIXTH INNING TOO MUCH FOR BIRDS TO OVERCOME
Sioux Falls, SD – Kansas City scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning Saturday night while their bullpen tossed five hitless frames to top the Canaries 3-0 at Sioux Falls Stadium.
Cesilio Pimentel did not allow a baserunner through the first four innings and Sioux Falls had two runners on base in three of the first four frames. The Monarchs opened the top of the fifth with a walk and a base hit but Pimentel struck out back-to-back batters and induced a fielder’s choice to escape the jam.
Willie Abreu led off the sixth inning with a bloop single before Darnell Sweeney doubled down the right field line. Following a strikeout, Abreu scored on a wild pitch before David Thompson doubled to drive in Sweeney. Thompson then stole third base and scored on a second wild pitch.
Pimentel walked the next three batters before reliever Stevie Ledesma got out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts. The three-run frame would prove to be more than enough as the Birds went without a hit after the fourth inning and without a baserunner after the sixth.
Ozzie Martinez led Sioux Falls with two hits as the Birds drop to 24-41 overall. The team will look to snap it’s six-game losing streak Sunday afternoon at 1:05pm.
