Monday, August 15, 2022

The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (53-28) scored four runs in the seventh inning and two in the eighth to flip the script on the Sioux Falls Canaries (31-48) on Monday night and opened the four-game series with a 6-4 win.

Ben Allison started his first game of the season for the RedHawks on Monday and allowed two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out two batters. Allison was pulled after 3.1 innings after he allowed a solo home run to Canaries’ first baseman Trey Michalczewski and two singles in the top of the fourth inning. Trevor Simms, also making his first appearance for the RedHawks this year, relieved Allison in the fourth. Sioux Falls scored another run in the top of the inning on a double steal.

Simms allowed two runs on two hits and three walks in 2.2 innings pitched. The right-hander struck out six batters in his season debut for Fargo-Moorhead. Sioux Falls scored their two runs off of Simms on two RBI singles in the top of the fifth inning to take a 4-0 lead.

The RedHawks couldn’t string together any offense off Canaries’ starter Ty Culbreth, as the lefty allowed five hits and a walk while striking out six batters in six innings pitched. However, Culbreth also shined defensively, as he saved a run in the bottom of the second inning with a no-look behind-the-back snag on a ground ball up the middle.

The RedHawks finally got on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning, as they strung together four runs on four hits and a walk to tie the game. Leo Piña drove in two of those runs with a two-RBI triple and scored on a John Silviano RBI single to score the game-tying run. Sioux Falls reliever Christian Johnson gave up three runs on two hits and a walk without getting an out. Stevie Ledesma relieved Johnson in the seventh and gave up a run on two hits.

Shortstop Sam Dexter led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a triple and scored the eventual game-winning run on an Alec Olund sacrifice bunt. Second baseman Peter Maris gave the RedHawks some insurance later in the inning with a sacrifice fly. Charlie Hasty (3-2) earned the loss after allowing the two runs on a hit.

Brady Stover, Tanner Riley (3-3), and Joe Jones combined to pitch three innings of scoreless relief for the RedHawks in the win. Riley allowed a hit and a walk but struck out three batters in the top of the eighth inning and earned the win. Joe Jones pitched in the top of the ninth and allowed a hit and a walk. Jones made his third save of the season in one inning of work.

Fargo-Moorhead and Sioux Falls will play game two of their four-game series tomorrow at 7:02 p.m. at Newman Outdoor Field. Davis Feldman (5-3, 4.21 ERA) will start for the RedHawks, and Sioux Falls will go with left-hander Cesilio Pimentel (1-4, 6.13 ERA).

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