Canaries Fall On Record-Setting Night

SIOUX FALLS, SD -- The Sioux Falls Canaries broke a season attendance record on Thursday night, but the occasion was muted by a 10-7 loss to the Sioux City Explorers at Sioux Falls Stadium.

An announced attendance of 2,962 pushed the Canaries’ season total to 151,112, surpassing a mark of 150,837 set in 2008.

The evening had a promising start when Canaries starter Adam Champion (6-11) worked a 1-2-3 top of the first inning and Reggie Abercrombie belted a two-run home run, his sixth of the year, in the bottom half for an early 2-0 lead.  But Sioux City surged back with four runs in the second inning, capped by Adrian Martinez’ two-run, go-ahead home run for a 4-2 lead.

The Canaries went to the bullpen in the third inning, but Sioux City tagged on five more runs against Matt Daly, who then retired the final 10 batters faced through the sixth inning. Martinez had the big hit, a three-run double to left. He finished 2-for-4 with five RBI.

A four-run Birds rally in the fourth inning cut the deficit to 9-6, highlighted by Stephen King’s two-run triple. The Canaries took advantage of three errors by Sioux City second baseman Leugim Barroso and added runs on Anthony Trajano’s sacrifice hit and Marcos Rodriguez’ RBI single.

Sioux City tallied a run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly. The Canaries answered with Nick Van Stratten’s leadoff home run, his sixth, but they could come no closer.

Both Rodriguez and Van Stratten went 4-for-5. Van Stratten bolstered his season average to .349.

Champion suffered his second straight loss and remains winless since July 28.

Ryan Lucero (3-4) threw six innings for Sioux City to earn the win. He allowed six runs, three earned, on nine hits. He walked one and did not strike out anybody.

Sioux City took a 2-1 advantage in the four-game, home-and-away series, which shifts back to Sioux City at 7:05 p.m. on Friday.

Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Canaries