SIOUX FALLS, SD -- The Sioux Falls Canaries entertained 3,757 fans who packed the Birdcage for Fathers Day and took their series against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks by sweeping Sunday's doubleheader.  A combination of pitching and explosive bats carried the way to winning to the first game 7-2 and the nightcap 4-0.

Joe Bircher started game one and earned his first win of 2014 by allowing two runs in six innings on just four hits.  Struggling with command early, Bircher settled in and kept the RedHawks hitters off balance and let his bats do the heavy lifting.

Shelby Ford erased a 1-0 deficit for the Canaries on his grand slam in the 3rd.  The inning started with two quick outs, but Sam Lind and Steve Tinoco hit back-to-back singles before Brandon Jones drew a walk.  Ford then cleared the bases and put the Canaries on top 4-1 and they never looked back.  In the 5th, Ford drove in his 5th run of the day with a double to score Jones and solo homeruns in the 6th from Chris Duffy and Carlos Mendez put the exclamation points on a 7-2 victory.  John Brebbia threw a scoreless 7th and gave the Canaries a chance to take the rubber game of the series later in the afternoon.

It was all Ben Moore in game two as the crafty righthander threw a complete game shutout, allowing just five hits and striking out seven while walking two.  Moore pitched himself out of trouble early in the game, stranding two runners in each of the 3rd and 4th innings.  He wouldn't face another jam until the 7th when the bases were loaded and the tying run came to the plate with one out.  Moore then dug deep to strike out Zach Penprase and then retire Ronnie Bourquin to end the game and preseve the 4-0 win.

AJ Kirby-Jones doubled to lead off the 2nd for the Canaries and scored on a double from Carlos Mendez to put the Canaries on the board first.  Brandon Jones added a solo homerun in the 3rd to make it 2-0.  Two insurance runs came across in the 4th when Stephen Branca singled in Mendez and Kevin Dultz's sacrifice fly brough in Chris Duffy.

The Canaries have now won their last two series and will try to win a third straight when they host Amarillo Tuesday through Thursday.  Game times are 7:05 PM on Tuesday and Thursday, with a special 12:05 PM start time on Wednesday.

Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Canaries

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