SIOUX FALLS, SD -- Friday the 13th proved to be a day of bad fortune for the Sioux Falls Canaries as a nine-run first inning by the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks set the tone for an 11-3 loss at the Birdcage.

Starting pitcher Kyle Ruwe took the loss for the Canaries (8-19), allowing 11 earned runs on 14 hits through seven innings for a club that was looking to carry momentum after winning the last two games of three-game series against the St. Paul Saints.

“You’re excited about winning two out of three against a really good club like St. Paul, but then you have to come in and play a really good club like Fargo,” said manager Steve Shirley.  “Each game and each situation takes on its own life.”

Redhawks shortstop Zach Penprase set the tone for the night in the game’s opening at-bat when he blasted a double to the right gap.  He would score the RedHawks first run three at-bats later on a single by C.J. Retherford that gave Fargo-Moorhead an early 2-0 lead. A double to center field by Petey Paramore bumped the lead to 4-0, with a homerun from Tim Alberts the very next at-bat blowing the game open at 6-0. Three runs later the Canaries found themselves in a 9-0 hole they wouldn’t be able to climb out of.

“You’re sitting there and it’s like there’s four (runs), then there’s six, then you have an out or two and you think you’ll get out,” said Shirley.

Canaries centerfield Chris Valencia was the lone offensive bright spot for the home team, going 3-for-4 with an RBI on a single in the sixth inning that cut the RedHawk lead to a 10-2. The club’s other RBI came from leftfielder Brandon Jones when he scored catcher Kevin Dultz on a sacrifice fly. Fargo-Moorhead faced little resistance from the Canaries’ offense, otherwise, thanks a fantastic eight-inning performance from starting pitcher Jake Laber, who allowed only two earned runs on seven hits.

“Laber’s been good in this league for a while,” said Shirley.  “This is not his first rodeo.  He’s a pretty good pitcher.”

The Canaries will return to the Birdcage Saturday night at 6:05 pm for the second game of their three-games series against the RedHawks.

 

Sioux Falls Canaries, Sioux Falls Stadium
Sioux Falls Canaries
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Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Canaries

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