GRAND PRAIRIE, TX -- The Grand Prairie Airhogs scored five runs in the first inning and never looked back in a 9-2 defeat of the Sioux Falls Pheasants on Tuesday night at Qwik Trip Park.

Innings of five or more runs scored by the opposition in an inning have haunted the Pheasants, who have seen it happen 26 times this season.

The Pheasants grabbed a quick run in the top of the first when Cory Morales scored on the back end of a delayed double steal. But Grand Prairie sent nine men to the plate in the home half to take a commanding lead. Andres Rodriguez singled home the tying run, and former Pheasant Jonny Kaplan hit a bases-loaded infield single to plate the go-ahead tally.

Kenny Held and Alberto Espinosa also had RBIs, and Jake Taylor’s throwing error also permitted a run home.

Pheasants starter Pete Gehle (6-9) took the loss in his second consecutive rough start. He gave up six runs, four earned, on seven hits in five innings.

Grand Prairie starter Alain Quijano (4-7) stymied the Pheasants. After giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits in the first two innings, Quijano held the Pheasants to just two hits and no runs in the next five innings.

Sioux Falls mustered just five hits total. Reggie Abercrombie had a double, the only extra-base hit.

The Grand Prairie bullpen shut out the Pheasants in the final two innings.

The Airhogs scored an unearned run in the fourth, and Bryan Myrow, Kaplan and Bryan Frichter each had solo home runs in the sixth and seventh innings to finish the scoring. Kaplan was 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Game two of the three-game series is at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday.

Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Pheasants

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