Canaries Fall To Kansas City In Extra Innings

SIOUX FALLS, SD -- Friday night's game between the Kansas City T-Bones and the Sioux Falls Canaries featured four of the American Association’s top home run hitters. But it was a man who entered the game with no home runs that made the difference.

Luis Rivera hit his first long ball of the year in the top of the 11th inning off Canaries reliever Alan DeRatt (0-2), and the Canaries dropped a 3-2 loss to the T-Bones to open a three-game series at Sioux Falls Stadium.

The Canaries (30-42) remain winless in four extra-inning contests.

Pitching ruled the day on each side before 4,164 fans, but the T-Bones won out by retiring the final 17 Canaries hitters. No one reached base after Tim Pahuta’s league-leading  21st home run in the sixth inning put the Birds up 2-0.

Kansas City responded with a run in the seventh inning. In the eighth, Petey Paramore ended up with a double off Chris Allen when Nick Van Stratten lost a fly ball in center field, scoring the tying run. Canaries reliever Matt Daly threw scoreless ninth and 10th innings.

The Canaries mustered just four hits on the night, spoiling a quality start by Adam Champion. The reigning Pitcher of the Week threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing just one run on four hits. He walked four and struck out four.

Reggie Abercrombie had the only other Sioux Falls extra-base hit, an RBI double in the first inning that gave the Canaries a 1-0 advantage. He has hit safely in his first four games with Sioux Falls.

Alex Theiroff (1-0) pitched a perfect 10th inning to pick up his first win of the year.

The three-game home series against the T-Bones continues at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday at Sioux Falls Stadium.

Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Canaries