Canaries Lose Big Lead, Series Opener At Lincoln

LINCOLN, NE -- The Sioux Falls Canaries (26-52) continued their week long roadtrip on Thursday night, opening up a four-game series against the Lincoln Saltdogs (40-35) at Haymarket Park, hoping that a change of scenery would be what they needed to snap their most recent five-game losing streak.  Instead, the Birds squandered an early lead in an 8-7 loss.

The Birds' offense jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the top of the first, scoring seven runs on eight hits in a 12 at-bat inning, sparked by an AJ Kirby-Jones  two-run homerun (17), but would not score another run the rest of the night.

Starting pitcher Kyle Vazquez (5-6) pitched a scoreless bottom of the first, but labored in the second inning, allowing five runs on five hits in the frame, including a two-run double from Lincoln's shortstop Mike Gilmartin, who finished the night 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored.

The Saltdogs would add an additional run in the bottom of the third on a Brian Pinckney RBI single, but trailed 7-6 going into the bottom of the seventh.

Joe Testa (0-3) relieved Vazquez in the bottom of the seventh, walking leadoff batter Jon Gaston on four pitches before giving up, what appeared to be, an RBI double off the centerfield wall to designated hitter Ian Gac.

After meeting near second base, the umpires changed the call, ruling the blast a two-run homerun, Gac's 18th this season, giving Lincoln the 8-7 lead.

Lincoln's closer Marshall Schuler worked a scoreless top of the ninth to lock down his franchise-record setting 28th save of the year, and fifth save in five games.

With the win, Lincoln won their fifth straight, and moves into a tie for first place in the American Association's Central Division with the Gary SouthShore Railcats.

The Canaries, who have now lost six in a row, will turn to Omaha,Nebraska native Joe Bircher (3-6) on Friday night, looking to snap their recent stretch of bad luck.

Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Canaries