BIRDS RALLY LATE TO WIN SEE-SAW AFFAIR WITH WINNIPEG
Sioux Falls, SD – The Sioux Falls Canaries saw an eight-run cushion evaporate before going back in front for good with a four-run eighth inning to top Winnipeg 14-11 at Sioux Falls Stadium on Tuesday.
Zane Gurwitz homered with one out in the first inning but Max Murphy tied the game with a solo shot to begin the second. Gavin LaValley put the Birds back in front an inning later with a two-out RBI single before Trey Michalczewski uncorked a three-run homerun.
David Washington crushed a solo homerun to start the fourth inning and brought Winnipeg within 5-2 but Sioux Falls exploded for five runs in the bottom half. John Nester smacked an RBI single, Jabari Henry followed with a three-run homerun and Michalczewski doubled to bring home LaValley before the Goldeyes could escape the inning.
But Winnipeg wouldn’t go away quietly, scoring nine unanswered runs over the next three innings and kept the Birds quiet until the eighth. Kona Quiggle drew a walk to begin the frame and reached third base on a single from Ozzie Martinez. Gurwitz followed with an RBI bunt single and LaValley put the Canaries in front for good with an RBI base hit. An Aaron Takacs fielder’s choice and an Angelo Altavilla single later in the inning would plate two more runs and Mitchell Walters tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his third save.
Altavilla, Martinez, Henry and LaValley each finished with three hits while Michalczewski collected four RBI as Sioux Falls moves to 26-41 overall. The Birds will look to clinch the series Wednesday night at 7:05pm.
