CANARIES MAKE EARLY LEAD HOLD UP
Sioux Falls, SD – The Sioux Falls Canaries built an early lead Thursday night and held off a furious Sioux City comeback Friday afternoon to top the Explorers 10-7. The victory marked the team’s 900th as members of the American Association.
After a scoreless inning and a half, the Canaries sent all nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the second and scored six runs.
Anthony Hall walked, then Anthony Sharkas and Joe Vos followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases. TJ Racherbaumer knocked in two with a single before Vos stole third base and scored on an error.
Mike Hart smacked an RBI single and a fielding error led to another run to put Sioux Falls in front 5-0. Josh Rehwaldt tacked on an RBI single before the Explorers could escape the jam.
After a scoreless top half of the third, the Birds once sent all nine batters to the plate in the bottom portion and added four more runs. Sharkas tripled with one out and scored on a Vos single. Racherbaumer kept the line moving with a base hit and scored on an error before Rehwaldt drove in two more with a single.
Inclement weather suspended play in the top of the fourth and the game was resumed Friday afternoon in Sioux City.
The Explorers got a run back with an RBI sacrifice fly in the fourth inning and added two more runs in the sixth. They struck for three runs in the seventh inning and brought the tying run to the plate but a flyout ended the threat.
Sioux City scored again with an RBI base hit in the top of the eighth. The X’s once again brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth but Charlie Hasty tossed a scoreless frame to earn his seventh save.
Racherbaumer paced the offense with three hits while Sharkas, Vos and Rehwaldt each added two. Sean Gamble tossed 2 2/3 innings of relief to earn the win as the Canaries improve to 21-22 overall.
