SIOUX FALLS, SD -- The Sioux Falls Canaries came out on the wrong end of an intense pitcher’s duel at the Birdcage Saturday night, dropping a 4-3 game to the Winnipeg Goldeyes in a nail-biter.  Starting pitcher Kyle Ruwe (5-6) tossed an impressive game from the mound for the Birds (29-57), with three earned runs and no walks allowed in seven exemplary innings of play.

“It was pretty well-played game,” said manager Steve Shirley.  “I thought their starter did a heck of a job, and ours did too.  Sometimes you lose a good game.”

However, the Canary bats simply had no answer for Winnipeg starter Ryan Bollinger and the rest of the Goldeye pitching staff, mustering only six hits during their fourth loss in six games.  Bollinger struck out eight Canaries and walked one while holding the Birds to two runs in six blistering innings for the Goldeyes (52-33).

“He (Bollinger) changed speeds and hit his spots,” said Shirley.  “He had some good pitches. I thought he threw the ball real well.”

Winnipeg took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, thanks to an RBI double from Josh Mazzola followed by a run-scoring Luis Alen single.  Another RBI single in the top of the sixth pushed the Goldeyes on top by a score of 3-0.

The Canaries finally hit the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning off a sacrifice fly from designated hitter Chris Duffy that scored Brandon Jones.  Sam Lind clawed the Birds within 3-2 with a sacrifice fly of his own in the very next inning, but the Goldeye pitchers would retort with their fourth run in the following half-inning after Luis Alen’s second RBI single of the evening.

The Canaries weren’t going down without a fight, as a fielder’s choice off the bat of Matt Hitt drew the Birds within a run in the bottom of the ninth. Nonetheless, Sam Lind went down swinging with a man on to let the Goldeyes clinch the second game of the three-game series.

Sioux Falls will wrap up their series against the Goldeyes Sunday with an afternoon tilt at 4:05. Kyle Vazquez will take the mound for the Canaries, while Nick Hernandez will start for the Goldeyes.

 

Steve Tinoco, Sioux Falls Canaries vs Winnipeg Goldeyes
Sioux Falls Canaries
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Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Canaries

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