SIOUX CITY, IA -- Jared Clark homered and collected three RBI on Wednesday night, leading the Sioux Falls Canaries to a 5-3 win over the Sioux City Explorers at Lewis and Clark Park.

The Canaries (39-56) snapped a five-game losing skid and evened the four-game, home-and-away series that ventures to the Birdcage on Thursday night.

Clark quickly erased Sioux City’s 1-0 lead in the second inning with a solo home run to the right of center, his 20th of the season. In the third, he knocked home Reggie Abercrombie for the go-ahead run.

The Birds used back-to-back doubles in the fourth inning by Anthony Trajano and Nick Van Stratten to push the lead to 3-1, and Marcos Rodriguez later drove in Van Stratten with a single for a 4-1 advantage.

Clark saved his biggest surprise for the seventh inning after Sioux City cut the lead to 4-3 on Sam Judah’s two-run home run. With two outs and nobody on, Tim Pahuta banged a triple off the right field wall, narrowly missing a home run. Clark then laid down a bunt up the third base line, catching the Explorers defense off guard and allowing Pahuta home.

Clark finished 3-for-4.

Kyle Vazquez (3-4) earned his first victory as a starter this season, submitting a quality start. He allowed three runs, two earned, on just four hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out four.

The Canaries bullpen took care of the rest, shutting out the Xs over the final three innings. Kirk Clark, Chris Allen and Jack Van Leur pitched the seventh and eighth, and Alan DeRatt threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his 21st save of the year.

Preston Olson (1-6) took the loss for Sioux City. He gave up four runs in four innings on nine hits, walking one and striking out four.

Game three of the series is at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday at Sioux Falls Stadium.

Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Canaries

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