By Scott Lemon

SIOUX FALLS, SD – The Sioux Falls Canaries rallied late, but the deficit was too much to overcome as the Birds fell to the Kansas City T-Bones 7-5 on the Fourth of July.

Misael Siverio (3-5, 6.48 ERA) again had a rough outing, laboring through 5.1 innings, giving up six runs on nine hits, including two homers, struck out six and walked two. Throughout much of his outing, he habitually left pitches up in the zone, allowing the Kansas City hitters to square up several pitches.

Kansas City struck first in the top of the first. Siverio got two quick outs to begin the ballgame, but saw his success rapidly evaporate. Jake Blackwood and Anthony Gallas hit back-to-back singles, putting runners at first and second. Siverio got Starlin Rodriguez to hit a mile-high popup into shallow right field, which should have ended the inning. But a muffed catch by second baseman Darwin Perez allowed Blackwood, who was off with the crack of the bat with two away, to score from second.

The T-Bones added two more in the top of the third thanks to Gallas, who hit a laser line drive that just cleared the fence in left to build the Kansas City lead to 3-0.

The Birds would battle back in the bottom half of the third. Ethan Chapman led off with a single, then advanced to third on a Blake Schmit single. Darwin Perez drove in Chapman with a sharp single of his own, cutting the lead to 3-1. Jake Taylor hit a ground ball to the shortstop in what should have been an inning-ending double play, but a bad throw from the second baseman allowed Schmit to score from second to bring the Birds within one.

Siverio’s toughest inning came in the sixth. Gallas walked to lead off the inning. After a Rodriguez strikeout, Brandon Tierney singled, putting runners at first and third with one away. Brett Wiley squared up the first pitch of his at bat, sending it into the parking lot beyond the right field wall, blowing the game open at 6-2.

The Birds began their comeback attempt in the bottom of the sixth. Ozney Guillen doubled to start the inning, then scored a J.C. Linares RBI single to bring the Birds back within three at 6-3.

The T-Bones added another run in the eighth, but that’s when things got interesting. Jake Taylor hit a mammoth solo homer to lead off the bottom of the eighth, his third homer in the last ten ballgames. David Bergin then singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch, then moved over to third on a Guillen groundout to the right side. J.C. Linares singled, allowing Bergin to score from third to cut the Kansas City lead to 7-5. But a strikeout and a groundout ended the Birds hopes for a comeback in the eighth, and were put down in order in the bottom of the ninth to seal their fate.

Stephen Bougher (1-4, 4.00 ERA) takes the mound for the Canaries tomorrow. Bougher has encountered a plethora of bad luck this season, losing or taking a no-decision in a handful of games that he could have easily taken the win. He looks for win number two on the season on Tuesday night. The Birds will be at home all week, as their next road trip doesn’t begin until next Monday. Contact the Canaries ticket office for information regarding single game or season ticket options by calling 605-336-6060 or visit the website at www.sfcanaries.com for more information.

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