Sioux Falls Canaries Score 11 Unanswered Runs, Nearly Surrender Game to Sioux City Explorers

Sunday

04May2008

Sunday, May 4, 2008 at 01:13PM

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – Crofton, NE – The Sioux Falls Canaries blasted three home runs on their way to an 11-9 exhibition victory over the Sioux City Explorers on Saturday afternoon in Crofton, NE. The win keeps the Canaries (3-0-1) perfect in exhibition play.

The Canaries got on the board first in the second inning. Josh Patton and Grant Richardson got aboard with back-to-back singles, setting the stage for Beau Torbert to hit a three-run homer. Later in the inning, Paul Smyth doubled and scored on a single by Tim Hutting. After one and a half, the Canaries led 3-0.

The Birds widened their lead in the third. The Canaries loaded the bases when Ben Van Iderstine reached on an error, Patton singled, and Richardson walked. Patrick Reilly singled to score Van Iderstine and Smyth singled to score Patton. With the bases still loaded, Kennard Bibbs hit a grand slam to give the Canaries a 10-0 advantage.

ADVERTISEMENT The long ball attack continued in the fourth when Grant Richardson hit a solo homer to give the Canaries an 11-0 lead.

Sioux City began their comeback in the bottom of the fourth. The Explorers got a pair of runs on a bases loaded single by Chad Gabriel to cut the Canaries lead to nine, 11-2. In the fifth inning, Sioux City got another when Tug Gillingham walked and scored on a single by Jason Tuttle. The Explorers got another in the seventh when Nick McCoola doubled to bring home Tuttle. After seven innings, the Canaries led 11-4.

The Explorers made a big push in the eighth inning, batting around against Kelly Casares. Juan Camacho started the inning with a double and went to third on a wild pitch. After Alex Llanos walked to put runners on the corners, an errant pick-off throw allowed Llanos to second and Camacho to score. The Explorers loaded the bases on a hit batter and a walk, and Andrew Barbaro doubled to bring home two more, making it 11-7. Another double by Jason Tuttle plated two more runs and brought Sioux City within a pair, 11-9. After Casares gave up an infield single and a walk, he was relieved by Javier Garcia. Garcia struck out Camacho with the bases loaded to end the inning and get the Canaries out of the jam.

Pat Mahomes pitched three scoreless innings. Ben Moore allowed three runs, one earned, on four hits in his three innings of work. Travis Kane pitched the seventh inning for the Canaries and struck out two while allowing a run on two hits. Garcia struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings of work.

The Canaries will wrap-up their exhibition schedule by hosting the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in a Cinco de Mayo game at the Birdcage. The first pitch is scheduled for 5:55 p.m on Monday.