GRAND PRAIRIE, TX (KELO.com) — The Sioux Falls Canaries have been dominant against Texas all year, and that didn’t change Tuesday night. The Birds (32-42) secured an 8-4 victory to stay undefeated against the AirHogs (19-55) this season.
The Birds scored five runs in the eighth inning to run away with the win, including a game-tying solo home run from Alay Lago. Jordan Ebert went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the victory.
Sioux Falls is now 8-0 against Texas in 2019, with game two of their three-game series set for Wednesday night.
It was a back-and-forth game to start, with Sioux Falls striking first in the third inning. Ebert hit a one-out triple to right-center field, and Brett Vertigan singled him home to make it 1-0 Birds.
Texas tied the game at 1 in the bottom half, but Sioux Falls responded in the fourth. Clint Coulter and Ebert both knocked RBI singles to give the Canaries a 3-1 lead.
Texas tied things up in the sixth with some help from the Birds’ defense. With men on first and second and one out, AirHogs right fielder Lu Yuheng laid down a bunt. Canaries catcher Graham Low overthrew first base on the sacrifice, allowing two runs to score.
Both runs were charged to Birds starter Ryan Froom, who faced two batters in the sixth inning before leaving the game. Froom allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits in his five innings, walking four and striking out four.
A seventh-inning infield single from Yang Jin gave Texas a 4-3 edge.
With one out in the eighth, AirHogs manager Chris Bando brought in righty reliever Pete Perez to face Lago. Lago hit Perez’s first pitch out to left field, tying the game at 4. It was Lago’s 11th homer of the season, tied for the most on the Canaries.
Ebert hit a go-ahead two-out RBI single off Perez a few batters later, and Low delivered a two-run double to make it 7-4. Vertigan knocked an RBI single to bring in Low and cap off the scoring.
Luis Pollorena threw two scoreless innings to finish off the game for Sioux Falls, earning the win.
UP NEXT
The Birds and AirHogs meet for game two of their series Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Tyler Herron will start for the Canaries, Gan Quan will get the ball for the AirHogs. Birds fans can listen in on Sioux Falls Sports Radio 98.1 FM and AM 1230 KWSN.
(Cartier Woodiel contributed to this report.)
