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AA Sioux Falls Canaries

Birds Lose 6-5 In Wild Ten Inning Game

August 15, 2007 - American Association (AA)
Sioux Falls Canaries News Release


Lincoln, NE - The Sioux Falls Canaries (17-22) watched the Lincoln Saltdogs (18-19) celebrate victory on two different occasions in a wild bottom of the tenth inning, that saw the Birds lose a 6-5 game.

With two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning, Seth Pietsch singled to get on base for the Lincoln Saltdogs. Bryan Warner followed at the plate, and Pietsch took off for second on a pitch that was grounded to Canaries second baseman Casey Gordon. Gordon threw the ball away at first base, and the umpires initially awarded Pietsch home plate on the error. The decision left the Saltdogs celebrating, but not for long. At the protest of Canaries Manager Steve Shirley, the umpires got together and decided that Pietsch would be called back to third and the game would continue. After Pichi Balet was intentionally walked, Brett Cooley singled through the left side to score Pietsch for the game winning run.

The Canaries took an early lead in the third inning. Tim Marks doubled and scored on a single by Casey Gordon to give Sioux Falls an initial 1-0 lead.

Lincoln got a big inning in the bottom of the fourth. Pietsch was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Pietsch went to second on a single by Warner and scored on a single by Balet. Balet's RBI tied the game, 1-1. Cooley followed with a single to score Warner, and put Lincoln in front, 2-1. The Saltdogs further extended their lead when Josh Patton hit a ground ball to Canaries first baseman Juan Figueroa, and Figueroa threw the ball away at second in an attempt to start a double play. Balet scored on the throwing error, and after four innings the Saltdogs led, 3-1.

The Birds took the lead back with four runs in the top of the fifth. With one out, Matt Imwalle hit his 14th homer of the year to get the Canaries within a run, 3-2. With two out Cameron Coughlan and Gordan singled, and James Shanks walked to fill the bases. Ben Van Iderstine singled to drive in Coughlan and Gordon and put the Birds ahead, 4-3. Abner Arroyo continued the two-out rally with a single to plate Shanks and put the Birds up by two, 5-3.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Jerrod Fuell came on in an attempt to tie the American Association's save record. Fuell would not find history on this night. Pichi Balet doubled and Josh Patton hit his fourth homer of the season to tie the game, 5-5, and set the stage for the wild finish one inning later.

Matt Varner (2-3) got the win for Lincoln, and Kelly Casares (3-3) was saddled with the loss for the Canaries.

The Canaries now head to St. Paul to finish their 12-game road trip with a three-game series that begins on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. The Birds will return to Sioux Falls Stadium on Monday, August 20 for NASCAR night presented by Alltel Wireless.

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