AA Sioux Falls Canaries

Birds Snap Skid With 4-2 Win

Published on August 8, 2003 under American Association (AA)
Sioux Falls Canaries News Release


(GARY, IND.) – The Canaries snapped a four-game losing streak behind a solid pitching performance by RHP Chad Johnson and a four-run fourth inning, beating the Gary SouthShore Railcats by a 4-2 clip. The win also snapped an eight-game road losing streak, giving the Birds their first road win since July 12, the first day of the second half.

After both teams went scoreless through three innings despite mounting rallies, the Canaries broke the game open, scoring all their runs in the fourth. 3B Ron Bush drove in the first Sioux Falls run with a double down the first base line that scored 1B Eddie Rivero. C Rich Rodrigues then struck out swinging at a ball in the dirt, but Bush baited C Rene Pinto into throwing down to second base, allowing Rodrigues to reach first on the dropped third strike. 2B Curt Lee then came to the plate and, still with no outs, bunted to 3B Sean Murphy, whose hurried throw sailed past 1B Wes Chamberlain, allowing Bush to score and sending Rodrigues to third. LHP Tony O'Donnell toughened up, however, striking out CF Tyrone Pendergrass looking and getting SS Clemente Bonilla to tap back to the mound. But LF Felix Pagan came up with a huge two-out, two-run single to give the Canaries a 4-0 lead.

Gary got one run back in the bottom of the fourth on a run-scoring single by 1B Wes Chamberlain, but the Railcats' bats were silent thereafter until the eighth. RHP Shayn Holbrook came on in relief of Johnson, who ultimately allowed two runs on eight hits over seven innings while striking out a Canaries season high seven batters, and gave up a run-scoring single to Pinto but got a key 5-4-3 double play and a groundout to Bush to end the inning. RHP Ramon Linares pitched the ninth, and after two quick outs and a walk, Chamberlain lined out to Bush, who made a diving play to end the ballgame.

With Fargo-Moorhead and Kansas City both winning, the Birds remain four games back of the RedHawks and three back of the second-place T-Bones in the West Division. The Canaries and Railcats square off again on Saturday in a 6 p.m. start, with RHP Nathan Bright (0-1, 9.00) taking the hill for the Canaries to face RHP Sazi Guthrie (6-4, 4.14) for Gary.

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American Association Stories from August 8, 2003


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