AA Sioux Falls Canaries

Birds Let Leads Slip, Fall In Extras

Published on August 21, 2009 under American Association (AA)
Sioux Falls Canaries News Release


Sioux Falls, SD - The Sioux Falls Canaries (15-24) let the lead slip away on two different occasions in losing 10-7 in 10 innings against the Wichita Wingnuts (21-19) in front of a crowd of 3,791 on Friday night at Sioux Falls Stadium.

Wichita jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Josh Horn started the game with a bunt single. Nick Blasi tripled to score Horn, and Blasi came in on a wild pitch. After a half inning, the Birds trailed by a pair.

The Canaries came back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Joe Anthonsen singled and Tim Hutting was hit by a pitch to put two men on base for Cody Haerther. Haerther singled to score Anthonsen and cut the Wichita lead in half, 2-1. Beau Torbert followed with a two-run double, scoring Hutting and Haerther, and giving the Birds a 3-2 lead after the first inning.

In the second, defensive mistakes cost the Wingnuts a run. Kyle Eveland started the inning with a single, and Eveland got to third when a groundball off of Ken Lup's bat was misplayed by Wichita second baseman Josh Horn. After a walk by Anthonsen moved Eveland to third, Wingnuts shortstop Brenan Herrera misplayed a line drive off the bat of Tim Hutting. The second Wichita error of the inning, allowed Eveland to score and give the Birds a two-run cushion, 4-2.

The Birds added another run in the fourth inning. Anthonsen walked to reach for the third time in the game, and Tim Hutting followed with an RBI double to give the Canaries a three-run advantage 5-2. The hit was the 100th of the season for Hutting, making him the 20th player in Canaries history to record 100 hits in a single season.

Wichita began to mount their first comeback in the sixth inning. Kelly Hunt took Canaries starting pitcher Ryan Ford deep for his 19th home run of the season to pull the Wingnuts within two, 5-3. Michael Thompson followed with a fly ball to right-field that Canaries right-fielder J.D. Reininger lost in the lights. The ball dropped in for a double, and Thompson came around to score to make it a one-run game, 5-4.

In the seventh inning, Wichita tied the game when Horn doubled and scored on a single by Blasi. With the score even, 5-5, Torbert led off-the bottom of the seventh inning with a double. Torbert got to third on a sacrifice bunt by Trevor Lawhorn, and with two outs, Patrick Reilly homered to right field. Reilly's sixth home run of the season gave the Canaries back the lead, 7-5.

The Birds lead would be brief. In the top of the eighth Patrick Brooks singled, and with two outs, Brenan Herrera doubled to score Brooks and pull Wichita within one, 7-6. Herrera then scored on a single by Horn, and after sevent and a half innings, the game was again tied, 7-7.

The game remained tied until the 10th inning. In the 10th the bases were loaded on three consecutive one-out walks. After a pop-out gave the Canaries a chance to get out of the jam, Greg Porter doubled off the centerfield wall to score three runs, and give Wichita a 10-7 lead. The Wingnuts would hold the lead in the bottom of the 10th for the 10-7 win.

Doug Hurn (4-2) pitched one shutout inning of relief to get the win. Patrick Lawler (3-2) gave up the 10th inning runs to suffer the loss. Justin Dowdy allowed just one walk in the bottom of the 10th in getting his 15th save of the season.

The Canaries and Wingnuts will continue the three-game series on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. Saturday will be "Mascot Mania Night" featuring several of Cagey's mascot friends joining him for a fun-filled night at the Birdcage.

Check out the Sioux Falls Canaries Statistics

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American Association Stories from August 21, 2009


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