Ventura Gem Wasted as Bullpen Falters in Cougars Victory
SIOUX FALLS – Canaries starter Angel Ventura twirled seven innings of two-run ball, but another ninth-inning rally propelled the Kane County Cougars to a 7-2 victory Sunday afternoon at The Birdcage. The Birds enjoy a day off Monday and return to action Tuesday at 7:05 vs. the newly-formed Houston Apollos.
Ventura used 99 pitches over seven quality innings to keep the Canaries (2-4) in a tight game. The righty struck out seven and walked one while scattering six hits in a no-decision. He and Kane County starter Tyle Viza dueled all afternoon, with Viza limiting the Canaries to one run in five innings. He finished with ten strikeouts and a no-decision.
The Canaries built a 1-0 lead in the fifth on a Jabari Henry RBI single. The Cougars tagged Ventura for single runs in the sixth and seventh before Sioux Falls scored a run to tie the game 2-2 on a Kane County error in the eighth.
For the third straight game, the contest entered the ninth inning in a tie. The Cougars pieced together five runs on five hits and an error in the ninth to go up 7-2. Kane County outscored the Canaries 13-2 in ninth innings over the three-game series. Sioux Falls stranded 10 in the game vs. six for the visitors.
Henry finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk. Mitch Reeves, Jeffrey Baez and Gavin LaValley all recorded two hits for Kane County (4-2).
Sioux Falls will look to rebound in a three-game series vs. the Houston Apollos starting Tuesday. RHP Carlos Pimentel (0-0, 3.60 ERA) will start for the Canaries. The starter for Houston is TBA.
Tuesday will be Disco Preservation Night at The Birdcage. Do a little dance, make a little glove, and get down tonight and make sure to play that funky music so it keeps stayin’ alive in our first Groovy Tunes-day of the season. All fans 50 and over will receive a $5 discount on their ticket (in-person office purchase only, for best available seat at purchase). It’s also Nacho Tuesday, meaning you can buy one order of nachos and get the second order for half-off through the end of the fifth inning.
For more information on the Canaries, follow the team on Twitter @canaries. To purchase tickets and for all other team information, visit sfcanaries.com. Media contact: joey@sfcanaries.com.
By Joey Zanaboni, Sioux Falls Canaries
