Canaries Fall 10-5 To Saltdogs In Series Finale

LINCOLN, NE -- Despite a strong first inning that saw the Sioux Falls Canaries (27-54) homer twice, the Birds were unable to leave Nebraska with a series split, falling 10-5 to the Lincoln Saltdogs (42-36) Sunday evening.

Steve Tinoco and AJ Kirby-Jones each homered in the first for the Canaries, staking them to an early 2-0 lead.  For Tinoco, it was his sixth homerun of the season and for Kirby-Jones, his 18th to pull him into a tie for the second-most in the American Association this season.  The homer also extended Tinoco's hitting streak to 14 games, the longest by a Canary in 2014.

The lead was short-lived as Lincoln quickly went to work with their own bats, roughing up Matt Wickswat for seven runs in just 1.2 innings on eight hits.  Matt Forgatch led off the bottom of the first with his eighth homerun and Brandon Pinckney later delivered a 3-RBI double as part of a six-run inning for the Saltdogs.

Lincoln would add another run in the second off Wickswat and two more off Kye Winter in the third to take a commanding 9-3 lead.

The Canaries would load the bases in the sixth inning with two outs, but Jhonny Montoya relieved Lincoln starter Nick Green and retired Chris Duffy to end the threat and the Canaries would never mount a serious threat after that.

Jon Gaston added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with his seventh homerun of the season.

Green, despite allowing five runs and five walks in 5.2 innings, improved to 3-4 with the win.  Wickswat dropped to 2-7 for the Canaries.

Steven Branca finished 4-4 for the Canaries and Tinoco had two hits.  Forgatch had three hits for Lincoln and five other Saltdogs added two hits apiece.

The Canaries finished their road trip just 1-7 and will return home Tuesday night to host the New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League in a three game series.  First pitch is at 7:05 PM at the Birdcage.

Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Canaries