AA Sioux Falls Canaries

Homers Provide Wild Finish In Birds 5-4 Loss

June 8, 2007 - American Association (AA)
Sioux Falls Canaries News Release


St. Paul, MN - After the Sioux Falls Canaries (20-8) rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth, Ryan Gripp led of the bottom of the ninth inning with his second home run of the season, a game winning to give the St. Paul Saints (15-12) a 5-4 victory over the Birds on Friday night.

The Saints scored a run without the benefit of a hit in the bottom of the first inning. Scooter Jordan reached on a lead-off walk and stole second base. Matt Brunson advanced Jordan to third on a groundout, and Adam Olow brought Jordan in to score with a sacrifice fly. After one inning, the Saints led, 1-0.

St. Paul extended the lead in the fifth. Brent Krause led the inning off with a double, and Josue Lopez reached on a walk. With runners on first and second and nobody out, Ryan Gripp attempted a sacrifice bunt. Gripp popped up the bunt, but Canaries pitcher Kevin Cheppenko was unable to get to the baseball. Cheppenko had a chance to throw Gripp out at first base, but an errant throw allowed Gripp to reach safely and Krause to score. The unearned run put St. Paul ahead by a pair, 2-0.

The Saints added another in the sixth. Brian Sprout singled and Krause doubled him home to put the Canaries down by three, 3-0.

St. Paul added an insurance run in the eighth. Matt Brunson reached on an infield single and stole second base. With Brunson in scoring position, Marcel Longmire singled to score Brunson and St. Paul had a 4-0 lead.

Saints starter Adam Brandenburg held the Canaries at bay for eight shutout innings, allowing three hits and one walk while facing only 25 batters. However, when Brandenburg came out of the game in the ninth inning, the Canaries rallied to tie things up. James Shanks doubled and Abner Arroyo walked to put two on for Wil Quintana. Quintana hit his American Association leading seventh home run of the season to pull the Canaries within one, 4-3. Matt Imwalle followed with his sixth homer of the year to tie the game, 4-4.

The Canaries big ninth set the stage for Gripp's heroics to win the game in the bottom half of the inning.

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American Association Stories from June 8, 2007


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