SIOUX FALLS – The Sioux Falls Canaries battled back in the ninth inning to walkoff the Cleburne Railroaders 7-6 Wednesday at The Birdcage.
Down 6-3 with two outs in the ninth, the Canaries staged an improbable comeback. All-Olympic selection Mitch Glasser reached with a walk vs. Cleburne reliever Tyler Wilson before Trey Michalczewski drew a hit-by-pitch. Zane Gurwitz and Mike Hart each doubled to tie the game at 6-6 before Angelo Altavilla sent the Birdcage faithful home with a walkoff single. His base hit scored Hart to secure the first walkoff win of the season for the Birds.
Angel Ventura held the Railroaders scoreless through five innings as the Canaries starter. In the sixth inning, Cleburne scored two on three hits and one walk. Ventura left in the middle of the seventh inning after giving up one more run and leaving a baserunner who would eventually score. He struck out five and walked one while allowing four runs (three earned) in a no-decision.
DJ Sharabi and Trevor Simms allowed one run each. Trevor Simms (1-0) would collect his first win of the season when the Birds rallied in the ninth.
Nick Gotta picked up an RBI on a single in the fourth and would later come around to score to extend an early Birds lead to 3-0. The Railroaders stormed back and took the 6-3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth. Wilson (2-1) took the loss in the ninth after allowing four runs on three hits and two walks.
The Birds and Railroaders will conclude the series at 7:05 pm Thursday. LHP Ty Culbreth (6-6, 5.31 ERA) will get the start for the Canaries. RHP Jalen Evans (0-1, 6.00 ERA) will get the start for Cleburne. Thursday night will be the first ever Canaries’ Bro Olympics at the Birdcage! It’s a true test of strength, speed, chugging beer, flexing your muscles, and showing who’s BRO! Finalists receive two free tickets to the game and a Canaries tank top to compete in! To become one, follow the Canaries on Facebook and submit to us a 30 seconds or less video of you describing why you should be in the BRO Olympics. Be buff. Be creative. Be funny. Be BRO. More bro than your fellow bros! We’ll choose four finalists. Plus, tickets are $5 to all college students who attend with valid I.D., and Thirsty Thursday means two 16. oz domestic tallboys for $12 or two 16 oz. craft/import tallboys for $10!
A live broadcast of all the home games will be available via Fox Sports 98.1 FM and American Association Baseball TV.
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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