35-Year-Old Pheasants Rookie Earns First Win
Published on June 20, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Sioux Falls Canaries News Release
SIOUX FALLS- With 35-year-old rookie Barry Fowler on the mound, the Sioux Falls Pheasants wanted to give their new pitcher some run support.
The offense provided plenty of pop, and Fowler earned his first professional win as the Pheasants defeated Kansas City 9-5 in 7 1/2 innings Monday in the third rain-shortened game of the season at Sioux Falls Stadium.
Brandon Sing led the charge with three extra-base hits and five RBI, including his 13th home run of the season, as all nine Pheasants' starters reached base in the game. Sing nearly hit three home runs, as his two doubles would've left the yard if not for the strong winds coming in from left field.
In his first start with Sioux Falls since joining the team on Friday, Fowler (1-1) pitched well, completing five innings and giving up five runs on six hits.
"It was a special moment for me," Fowler said. "I started thinking about it when it started raining and I just tried to enjoy the serenity of the moment."
Sioux Falls gave the rookie plenty of early run support. In the first, Sing smashed a bases-clearing double high off the left-field wall to drive in the first three runs. Two batters later, Francisco Leandro brought home Sing to give the Pheasants a 4-0 lead.
Fowler struggled with control in the second. After walking three consecutive batters with one out, the right-hander hit Johnny Bowden to bring home the first T-Bones run. Fowler induced Jeff Hulett to ground into the inning-ending double play to limit the damage to just one run.
"The guys played hard behind me," Fowler said. "All these guys have been very accepting of me since I got here, and I just want to thank them."
Kansas City starter Matt Mitchell (0-1) also had control issues, issuing four walks in the second including a bases-loaded walk to Sing. The right-hander, making his first start with Kansas City, exited after four innings, giving up six runs on five hits.
The T-Bones answered in the third when Ray Sadler belted a two-out, two-run home run to cut Sioux Falls' lead to 5-3.
In the fourth, Gus Milner lifted a solo home run to increase the Pheasants lead to 6-3.
Trevor Lawhorn turned in the defensive highlight of the night, robbing Sadler of a base hit on a diving stop at third base.
Kansas City cut the Pheasants lead to one run in the fifth when Kala Ka'aihue crushed a two-run homer off the scoreboard in right center.
Sing nearly had a home run in the bottom of the fifth, when his blast to field appeared to leave go out. The umpires reversed the call, ruling it a ground-rule double. Reggie Abercrombie followed though with a no-doubter out of the stadium, giving Sioux Falls a 8-5 lead.
Reliever Dan McDaniel got out of a jam in the sixth. After a balk put runners at second and third with one out, McDaniel struck out the next two Kansas City batters to end the threat.
Sing finally left the yard with two outs in the sixth. It was his first home run since June 8.
The game was called in the middle of the eighth inning.
The two clubs play the second game of this four-game series at 7:05 p.m. on June 21, at Sioux Falls Stadium. It is Double Play Tuesday. Fans can purchase two tickets for the price of one.
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