BIRDS START FAST, FINISH FASTER TO SNAP FOUR-GAME SKID
Sioux Falls, SD – A five-run seventh inning helped the Sioux Falls Canaries say goodbye to a four-game losing streak, topping Kane County 10-6 on Saturday.
The Birds raced out to an early 2-0 lead when Zane Gurwitz and Gavin LaValley each delivered an RBI double in the first inning. Sioux Falls would load the bases with two outs in the second stanza but failed to capitalize.
A two-out, three-run homerun from Cornelius Randolph in the third inning gave Kane County a 3-2 lead and Josh Rolette added to it with a leadoff homerun in the fourth.
Each team plated a run in their half of the fifth inning; Jimmy Kerrigan blooped an RBI double before Aaron Takacs scored Gurwitz with a single. Kerrigan, though, would help rebuild a three-run lead with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Gurwitz led off the five-run seventh inning with a triple and scored on LaValley’s second RBI double of the night. Sioux Falls then loaded the bases with one out before Angelo Altavilla tied the game with a two-run double down the left field line. The Canaries would take the lead for good later in the inning when two more runs crossed home plate on a throwing error. Jabari Henry was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the eighth inning and LaValley crushed a two-run homerun moments later to provide extra insurance.
Gurwitz finished 4-5, a homerun shy of hitting for the cycle, while LaValley was 3-4 with four RBI. Sioux Falls is now 24-35 overall and will look to claim the three-game series Sunday at 1:05pm.
