AA Sioux Falls Canaries

Canaries Drop Heartbreaker, 15-14

August 5, 2007 - American Association (AA)
Sioux Falls Canaries News Release


Siuox Falls, SD - A bizarre offensive showdown at The Birdcage on Sunday afternoon saw the American Association's second leading hitter as the only hitless member of his team and the league save leader blow a save as the Sioux Falls Canaries (14-16) lost the series finale against the first-place St. Paul Saints (19-10) by a score of 15-14.

The Saints batted around to take a big lead in the top of the second. Marcel Longmire led off the inning with a double to deep center field. Fernando Valenzuela, Jr. walked to put runners on first and second. Adam Olow hit a single to right field, allowing Longmire to score from second base to put the Saints up 1-0. Canaries' right fielder Ben Van Iderstine gunned down Olow as he tried to stretch his hit into a double. After Ben Thomas walked to put runners on the corners, Alex Fonseca singled through the right side, driving in Valenzuela, Jr. for a 2-0 lead. Scooter Jordan followed with a single to fill the bases, and Skip Adams doubled down the left field line to score all three runners and to give the Saints a 5-0 advantage.

In the third inning, Longmire led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second when Brian Sprout hit one through the left side. Longmire tagged to third base on a fly ball to center filed by Valenzuela, Jr., and scored when Olow singled through the left side. Going into the bottom of the third, the Saints led by six, 6-0.

The Canaries sent 11 players to the plate in the bottom of the third inning. Tim Marks led off the inning, reaching on an error by Saints' second baseman Alex Fonseca. Cameron Coughlan and James Shanks hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. Ben Van Iderstine drew a walk, pushing Marks home, 6-1. Coughlan and Shanks scored on a single to shallow center field by Trevor Lawhorn cutting the Saints' lead in half, 6-3. Juan Figueroa followed with a walk to load the bases. Orlando Miller singled to the shortstop, and all runners advanced safely. Van Iderstine scored on the play to get the Canaries within two, 6-4. Next, Matt Imwalle drew a bases-loaded walk to score Lawhorn, 6-5. Saints' pitcher Adam Brandenburg followed with a wild pitch but Juan Figueroa was caught trying to take home. Miller and Imwalle moved into scoring position on the play, and both came in to score when Marks, at the plate for his second time in the inning, doubled to right center. The seven run inning gave the Canaries their first lead of the game, 7-6.

The Canaries' lead did not last long. In the top of the fourth inning, Scooter Jordan hit his third home run of the year to tie the game, 7-7. With two outs, Marcel Longmire hit a solo shot, his 11th of the year, to give the Saints the 8-7 lead.

Refusing to go away, the Birds evened the game in the bottom of the fourth. Van Iderstine walked and scored on a two-out double by Lawhorn, tying the game, 8-8.

The Saints took the run back and then some in the top of the fifth inning. Thomas, Fonseca, and Jordan all singled to load the bases. Thomas scored on a passed ball, putting the Saints up 9-8. Fonseca and Jordan moved their way into scoring position on the passed ball. Adams singled up the middle driving in Fonseca and Jordan to give the Saints an 11-8 advantage.

St. Paul added to their lead in the top of the sixth. Valenzuela, Jr. and Olow hit back-to-back singles. Thomas sacrificed Valenzuela, Jr. and Olow into scoring position and reached on an error by Canaries' pitcher Lenny Bays. Valenzuela, Jr. scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Fonseca to put the Saints up by four, 12-8.

The Canaries came back in the home half of the inning. Arroyo drew a lead-off walk and went to third on a single by Lawhorn. Arroyo came around to score on a wild pitch by Saints' pitcher Jon Huizinga, 12-9 Saints. Marks hit a two-out single up the middle to drive in Lawhorn and bring the Canaries within a pair, 12-10.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Shanks and Van Iderstine put together two consecutive singles placing runners on the corners. Shanks scored on a sacrifice fly to center field to bring the Canaries within one, 12-11. Van Iderstine went to second on a passed ball and scored on a single by Lawhorn, knotting the game at 12.

The Canaries took the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Imwalle walked to start the inning. Marks hit into a fileder's choice but Imwalle reached second safely thanks to an error by Saints' pitcher Byron Embry. After Coughlan sacrificed the runners into scoring position, James Shanks doubled up the middle, driving in Imwalle and Marks to give the Canaries the lead, 14-12.

In the top of the ninth inning, Canaries closer Jerrod Fuell came on looking for his 20th save of the season. Fuell struck out the side in the inning, but in between the strikeouts, the Saints struck back. Longmire singled to left center. With two outs in the inning, Valenzuela, Jr. singled putting runners on first and second. Olow hit his third homer of the year to give the Saints the final score, 15-14.

Every Saint except for Adam Bourassa, who is second in the league in hitting, got at least one hit in the contest. Byron Embry (2-0) earned the win for the Saints pitching one inning of relief. Jerrod Fuell (1-1) suffered the loss for the Birds. Tony Pierce earned his ninth save of the season.

The Canaries start a 12-game road trip on Tuesday, August 7 playing a three-game series against the St. Joe Blacksnakes. The Birds return home on Monday, August 20 to celebrate "NASCAR Night featuring The #12 Ryan Newman Dodge Showcar" presented by Alltell Wireless.

Check out the Sioux Falls Canaries Statistics



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