Canaries Rally for Eight in Ninth to Defeat RedHawks, 9-4
FARGO, N.D. — With their backs against the wall, the Sioux Falls Canaries delivered, and then some.
Entering the ninth inning with a three-run deficit, the Birds (21-20) sent 13 batters to the plate and scored eight runs to come away with a 9-4 rubber-game win over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (16-25).
The win was the Birds’ second ninth-inning comeback in three nights, cementing a crucial series victory over their northern rivals. Birds starter Tyler Danish delivered his best outing as a Canary, allowing three runs (two earned) over seven innings of work.
The RedHawks took a 3-0 lead after seven. Drew Ward made it 1-0 in the third with an RBI single, and Brennan Metzger scored on a Correlle Prime sacrifice fly in the fifth to put the home side up two.
Alex Boxwell reached on an error to begin the seventh, and came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Metzger.
The Canaries got on the board in the eighth off RedHawks reliever Ryan Williams. Clint Coulter doubled off the left field wall to lead off the inning, and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Mike Hart.
The RedHawks got the run back in the bottom of the eighth off of Birds right-hander Ryan Fritze. Christian Ibarra worked a two-out walk and took second on a wild pitch. Catcher Dylan Kelly hit an RBI double to make it 4-1.
Then came the ninth.
Andrew Ely started things off with a double off RedHawks closer Mitchell Osnowitz. Damek Tomscha followed him up with a walk. The next batter, Alay Lago, delivered an RBI single to make it 4-2 Fargo-Moorhead.
Logan Landon knocked an RBI single of his own to cut the lead to one, and RedHawks interim manager Chris Coste pulled Osnowitz for Brent Jones with Coulter due up. Coulter hit an RBI single to tie the score at four.
The next batter, Hart, hit a fly ball to center field. Forrestt Allday settled under the ball, preparing to make a throw to the plate. He dropped the ball, allowing the go-ahead run to score.
Ryan Brett, Tomscha and Lago delivered RBI singles later in the inning to make it 9-4 Canaries.
Keaton Steele finished the game on the mound for the Birds. He allowed a single and a walk to start the ninth, but got a double-play ball and a groundout to third to end the game.
UP NEXT
Sioux Falls and Fargo-Moorhead meet again at the Birdcage for a three-game series starting Friday night. Birds fans can find radio and live streaming information at SFCanaries.com.
By Carter Woodiel, Sioux Falls Canaries
