Bullpen Falters as Canaries Fall Late, 2-1
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Home runs and solid pitching were the story of the day for the Sioux Falls Canaries and St. Paul Saints on Sunday. In a game where all three runs scored via a solo shot, the Birds lost a tough one to the Saints 3-1 at CHS Field.
Clint Coulter delivered the Birds’ homer, but the Canaries offense did not manage another extra base hit and hit into two double plays. Birds starter Jake Zokan threw five shutout innings in the defeat.
Coulter’s fifth inning blast was the first run of the game, in the top of the fifth inning against St. Paul starter Mike Devine. It was Coulter’s fifth home run of the season.
Madison Younginer tossed a perfect sixth for the Canaries (17-15); Mike Meyer brought Ryan Fritze on for the seventh. He allowed a game-tying solo home run to Josh Allen to level things at 1-1. It was Allen’s third home run of the year, and the first home run Fritze allowed in 2020.
The Canaries threatened in the eighth, netting a pair of two-out singles against Devine. But Paul Voelker came on to get the final out of the inning on a Roy Morales ground ball.
D.J. Sharabi pitched the eighth for Sioux Falls, allowing a two-out solo homer to Alonzo Harris to bring the game to its final score.
Jameson McGrane earned his 10th save of the year for St. Paul, getting a Logan Landon groundout to end the game.
UP NEXT
The Birds take Monday off before squaring off with St. Paul Tuesday night at the Birdcage. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Birds fans can find links to watch and listen to the game at SFCanaries.com.
By Carter Woodiel, Sioux Falls Canaries
