The Sioux Falls Canaries’ 13-game season-opening road trip came to an end Wednesday, when the Canaries lost both games of a doubleheader to the host Chicago Dogs.

The Dogs won game one of the twin bill 7-2, and walked off with a 1-0 eight-inning win in the nightcap. Both games had seven regulation innings per American Association doubleheader rules.

The Canaries now head to the Birdcage for their home opener Friday night at 7:05 p.m.

GAME ONE

Chicago jumped on Canaries starter Sam Bragg early on in the first game. Kelly Dugan hit a solo home run in the second inning, and an RBI single from Rey Gonzalez later in the frame made it 2-0.

The Dogs would add three more in the fourth. Victor Roache hit a solo home run of his own, making it 3-0. Back-to-back RBI singles by Edwin Arroyo and Trey Vavra extended the lead to five.

Bragg pitched four innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits, walking one and striking out two.

The Birds got two back in the sixth inning. Three straight singles loaded the bases with no one out, and ground ball outs from Kevin Taylor and Alay Lago each scored runs.

But the Dogs would respond with two more in the bottom half on a two-run double from Dugan, bringing the game to its final score.

Boxscore

GAME TWO

Game two was much lighter on scoring. Starters Luke Westphal and Keaton Steele shut down each other’s offenses early on. Neither team brought a runner to second base in the first five innings of the game.

The Canaries would have their chances, leaving a man on second in the sixth against Westphal and in the seventh and eighth against Josh Goossen-Brown. Steele threw seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits. He walked three and struck out four.

In the bottom of the eighth (extra innings with doubleheader rules) Canaries manager Mike Meyer brought in reliever Riley Hovis to replace Steele. Roache hit Hovis’ first pitch over the center-field wall for a walk-off home run.

Boxscore

by Carter Woodiel

Featured Image Courtesy of Erin Bormett / Sioux Falls Canaries