Jabari Henry Homers in Ninth to Give Canaries 5th Straight Win
The Sioux Falls Canaries entered Thursday night’s contest as one of the hottest teams in the American Association, winners of four straight. Timely hitting and outstanding pitching has helped this team to cut four-games out of the St. Paul Saints lead over the Canaries and thanks to Jabari Henry, Sioux Falls finds themselves just 5-games out. Henry’s two-run homer in the ninth put the Canaries on top as they would go on to defeat the Saints, 6-4. That was St. Paul’s fifth straight loss.
The Canaries scored a run in the top of first against Mark Hamburger. Brett Marr singled to start the frame and moved to second on a base hit by Jabari Henry. Ty Morrison followed with a base hit into right that scored Marr to make it 1-0. Morrison took too wide a swing around first and was thrown out by Tim Colwell from right field. Hamburger then got two ground outs to end the threat.
The Saints responded in the bottom of the first with a run that tied the score. Colwell followed up his heads up play in the field by leading off the frame with a single. He moved to second on a ground out by Mitch Delfino and scored when Brady Shoemaker drilled a ball to the wall that he legged out for a triple. Bryce Morrow kept the damage to a minimum, getting a strike out before getting the final out on a ground ball.
In the fourth, St. Paul took the lead. Brady Shoemaker led off the inning by drilling his (HHHH home run of the season. Anthony Gallas followed by drawing a walk and he moved to third when Tony Thomas singled two batters later. With runners at the corners and one down, Kes Carter brought Gallas home with a sharp ground out to make it 3-1 Saints.
In the fifth, the Canaries got one of those runs back. Blake Schmit started the inning with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. A fly ball moved him to third and he scored when Dan Motl delivered a clutch two-out double to make it 3-2.
An inning later, Sioux Falls tied the score. Back-to-back singles by Henry and Morrison started the rally. Chris Jacobs followed with a double that scored Henry to tie the score. Morrison tried to score on the play as well, but the relay from Carter to Thomas to Maxx Garrett nailed him at the plate. However, the game was tied.
It would not stay that way for long, as Sioux Falls took the lead in the top of the seventh. With one down, Gretz singled the other way and moved to second on a walk to Motl. A base hit by Marr loaded the bases and there was still just one out. That brought Henry to the plate, who hit a sacrifice fly to score Gretz to make it 4-3.
As they had done in the first, St. Paul responded with a run in the bottom half of the frame. Nicco Blank was able to retire the first two batters of the inning, but Gallas was able to reach on an infield single to keep the inning alive. Nate Hanson then reached on an error that allowed Gallas to come all the way around to score and the game was tied at 4.
In the ninth, the Canaries would take the lead once again. Brandon Peterson retired the first two hitters of the inning, but Marr walked before Henry hit his LLL homer of the year. That made it 6-4.
Jose Ortega came on in the ninth and retired the side in order for his ninth save of the season. Nicco Blank (1-1) earned the victory. Jabari Henry led the Sioux Falls Canaries offense, going 3-4 with 2-runs and 3-RBI. The Saints offense was led by Brady Shoemaker, who was 3-5 with a run and 2-RBI.
The Saints will head north of the border to begin a three-game series with the Winnipeg Goldeyes.
By Robert Pannier
