FRANKLIN, WISC. — Grant Kay’s start to his SIoux Falls Canaries tenure was already electrifying. Now he’s added a game-winning hit to the mix.

The Canaries (16-11) earned a 3-1, 10 inning victory over the Milwaukee Milkmen (13-14) Tuesday night at Franklin Field.

Kay reached base four times in the game, including a two-run stand-up triple to put the Birds ahead for good in the 10th. That plus a solid pitching performance added up to an important Canaries win.

Sioux Falls got on the board in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Andrew Ely started things off with a double down the right-field line, and moved to third on a ground ball. Alay Lago hit an infield single to the left side that allowed Ely to score the game’s first run.

That would be the only run the Birds scored off Milwaukee starter Zach Hartman. Hartman threw six innings, allowing five hits while walking two and striking out one.

Milwaukee plated their run in the fifth against Birds starter Jake Zokan. Mason Davis scored on a Logan Trowbridge sacrifice fly.

Zokan pitched seven innings of one-run ball, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out six. He threw 106 pitches, 67 for strikes.

Kevin Folman bridged the gap for the Birds, throwing scoreless eighth and ninth innings. He struck out back-to-back hitters to strand two runners in the eighth.

With the game tied at one after nine, the Birds rallied in the 10th. Lago reached on a one-out single and Damek Tomscha worked a walk. After a strikeout, a Karch Kowalczyk wild pitch moved the runners to second and third.

The next pitch, Kay hit his triple off the center field wall, scoring two and giving the Birds a 3-1 lead.

Ryan Fritze recorded his second save of the year, working a scoreless 10th.

UP NEXT

The Birds look to clinch a series win Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m. Kurt Heyer will start for Sioux Falls; Milwaukee’s starter has not been announced. Birds fans can listen to the game at SFCanaries.com.

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