Pheasants' Bats, Arms and Gloves Beat Sioux City
Published on June 12, 2012 under American Association (AA)
Sioux Falls Canaries News Release
SIOUX CITY, Iowa. - Early offense, strong pitching and error-free defense propelled the Sioux Falls Pheasants to a 6-4 win over the Sioux City Explorers on Tuesday night at Lewis and Clark Park.
The Pheasants evened the three-game, home-and-away series to set up a rubber game finale Wednesday night at Sioux Falls Stadium.
The Pheasants immediately jumped on Sioux City starter Nick Schumacher (4-1), one of the league's top pitchers, in the first inning. Cory Morales lead off with a single and Jared Bolden connected for a two-run home run, his fourth of the season and second in as many days. A Sioux City error in the second inning allowed Al Quintana to score for a 3-0 lead.
The Pheasants nearly squandered runners at second and third with nobody out in the third inning. Cristian Guerrero popped out and Mark Shorey lined out to the pitcher, but Jake Taylor worked a walk to load the bases. Quintana then cleared the bags with a double off the left field wall.
A 6-0 advantage provided plenty of margin for Pheasants starter Mark Michael (3-2), who allowed just two runs on six hits in six innings.
"I'm getting the ball down in the zone better than I was earlier in the year," said Michael, who started the season 1-2 but has won his last two outings with quality starts. "I threw all my pitches for strikes and I got ahead again. Our defense played well, and I got a bunch of ground balls."
Michael did not walk any Explorers and struck out three.
The Pheasants bullpen took over in the seventh, inheriting a 6-2 lead after Sioux City scratched in runs in the fourth and the sixth. Dan Cooper pitched a perfect seventh but allowed a two-run home run to Michael Lang in the eighth with one out. Jack Van Leur then came in and retired the only batter he faced, and Kyle Mertins did the same.
Cody Evans earned his fourth save by pitching a scoreless ninth, allowing a walk and nothing more.
Bolden, Morales and Cesar Nicolas each had extra-base hits and two-hit performances.
The rubber game of the three-game series is at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13, at Sioux Falls Stadium. It's Ladies Night. Women of all ages can purchase a ticket for just $5.
Notes: Jonny Kaplan was held out of the lineup for the second straight game with a strained groin...Cristian Guerrero snapped a string of seven-games with at least one RBI...Attendance was 2,453.
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