Bircher’s Stellar Start Spoiled In 8th As Canaries Drop 10th Straight

ST PAUL, MN  --  The Sioux Falls Canaries arrived in St. Paul with the intent of ending their losing skid at nine and they turned to lefthander Joe Bircher to stop the bleeding.  Bircher had been the Canaries most consistent starter this season and the lefthander didn't disappoint Monday night, allowing just two hits in seven innings and exiting with the game tied 0-0.

His only mistake came in the 7th inning when Henry Wrigley hit his league-leading 7th homerun, a two-run blast with two outs and put St. Paul in front 2-0.

On an otherwise quiet night for the Canaries bats, they answered back in the 8th when Stephen Branca and Ty Forney each singled with two outs to set up Chris Valencia's two-RBI double that tied the game 2-2.  Branca and AJ Kirby-Jones each had two hits in defeat for the Canaries.

The bottom of the 8th proved to be the decisive inning.  Josh Giles relieved Bircher and was unable to keep the Saints bats down.  Angelo Songco doubled with one out and Joey Becker was then hit by a pitch.  Dwight Childs dropped a bloop single in front of left fielder Brandon Jones who slipped charging the ball and the bases were loaded.  A groundball could have ended the inning, but Devin Thaut singled in two runs and the Saints took a 4-2 lead.  They would add another pair of runs on Joe Bonfe's squeeze and Evan Bigley's single to make it 6-2 and the Canaries were unable to score in the 9th.

Tuesday's game will begin at 7:05 PM.

Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Canaries