Thursday, August 18, 2022

The RedHawks (56-28) were perfect at home as they closed out a seven-game homestand with a 12-3 win over the Sioux Falls Canaries (31-51) on Thursday night. Going 8-2 in the last ten games, the RedHawks also clinched a spot in the 2022 American Association playoffs. This will be the RedHawks' 19th playoff appearance in franchise history and their fifth in the American Association (2012, 2013, 2019, 2021, and 2022). 

But tonight, it was all offense as the RedHawks had 18 hits and scored a run in six of the eight innings in the win. Seven different RedHawks' batters had an RBI, and eight of the nine starters had at least one hit.

The 'Hawks opened the scoring with six runs over the game's first three innings, including two on a two-RBI double from Peter Maris in the bottom of the second inning. Maris went 3-for-6 with two doubles, three RBI, and scored a run in the win. 

Sioux Falls responded in the top of the fourth inning as third baseman Gavin LaValley hit a leadoff solo home run to make the score 6-1. The run was the only one allowed by RedHawks' starter Tyler Grauer (9-3) in six innings pitched. Grauer allowed four hits and four walks but struck out eight batters and earned the win.

The RedHawks scored two more runs off of Canaries' starter Tyler Garkow (1-8) in the bottom of the fifth inning. Garkow left the game after allowing eight runs (two unearned) on 12 hits and a walk in five innings pitched. Christian Johnson relieved Garkow in the bottom of the sixth inning and allowed four runs on six hits and a walk in two innings pitched. Tony Lanier pitched in the bottom of the eighth and struck out two batters in a scoreless inning pitched.

After falling behind 11-1, Sioux Falls scored a run each in the seventh and eighth innings. Trevor Simms allowed the two runs on two hits and two walks in two innings pitched. Brady Stover pitched in the top of the ninth inning and allowed two walks but did not allow a hit.