By Scott Lemon, Sioux Falls Canaries

ST. PAUL, MN – David Bergin went 2-for-5 at the plate and drove in three runs, and newcomer J.C. Linares hit a two-run moonshot homer as the Sioux Falls Canaries beat the St. Paul Saints 9-4 on Tuesday night at CHS Field.

Shawn Blackwell pitched well for the Canaries and picked up his fourth win on the season. He tossed 6.2 good innings, giving up four runs on eight hits, but struck out a season-high eight batters. His biggest flaw came in the sixth when he gave up a three-run homer to Willie Argo.

The Canaries cracked the scoreboard first in the third inning. Blake Schmit hit a one-out single, then advanced to third on a single by second baseman Darwin Perez. Jake Taylor drove in Schmit with a single, and Perez scored as well on a throwing error by the center fielder, giving the Birds a 2-0 lead. The Canaries would not trail for the rest of the game.

The Birds would build their lead in the fifth. Schmit again would single, then steal second. He would then advance to third on an errant throw from the cather. Jake Taylor walked, then stole second, putting runners at second and third. David Bergin then hit a booming double into the gap in left, allowing Schmit and Taylor to score easily, pushing the lead to 4-0. J.C. Linares then hit a moonshot of a homer on a 0-2 pitch, swelling the lead to 6-0.

The Birds weren’t done yet. In the top of the sixth, Ethan Chapman got on with a one-out single. Schmit then drove Chapman in with a double to the gap in left. Perez singled, allowing Schmit to score from second, and advanced to second on an error by the center fielder. Bergin drove in his third run of the day with a single, scoring Perez from second to build the lead to 9-0.

Blackwell ran into some trouble in the bottom of the sixth. Nate Hanson singled with one away, and Angelo Songco walked. Willie Argo put a 0-1 pitch into the seats in left, cutting the deficit to 9-3. The Saints would add one more in the seventh to cap off the scoring.

The Saints would make things interesting in the bottom of the ninth, however. With Jimmer Kennedy on the hill, the Saints would load the bases with a walk and two straight singles, all with none out. Manager Chris Paterson turned to his closer, Madison Boer, who would induce a 1-2-3 double play for the first two outs. He then got Hanson to pop out to second for the final out of the night.

The Canaries look to win the series on Wednesday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Southpaw Misael Siverio will take the mound for his third start against St. Paul this season. The Birds will return to The Birdcage on the Fourth of July as they host the Kansas City T-Bones and Winnipeg Goldeyes in a week-long homestand. Contact the Canaries ticket office for information regarding single game or season ticket options by calling 605-336-6060 or visit the website at www.sfcanaries.com for more information.

More From KSOO-AM / ESPN Sioux Falls