SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — The Sioux Falls Canaries tallied 21 hits in a dominant 18-6 victory over the Houston Apollos Friday night at The Birdcage. The Birds will play Houston twice on Saturday at 4:05 pm and 6:05 pm and will close the series at 2:05 pm on Sunday.
Angel Ventura (2-1) pitched six innings and allowed six hits and five runs. He struck out four en route to his second win. Colby Wyatt entered the game in the seventh inning to close things out. He allowed three hits and three runs and notched the first save of his professional career.
The offense started off with five runs in the first inning and never looked back. The Birds (9-6) ran across home plate 18 times. The 18 runs are the highest single-game total in the American Association this season. The Canaries racked up 13 base hits, six doubles, and two home runs. The 21 hits were also a new high in the American Association this year.
Trey Michalczewski and Mike Hart both went deep. Angelo Altavilla and Logan Landon found themselves on base five times in six at-bats, and Wyatt Ulrich got on the bags four times in at-bats. The homers were the fourth for Michalczewski and the fifth for Hart. Hart is tied for second in the Association in home runs.
The Apollos (2-13) pitching staff found themselves overwhelmed by a high-power offense. Jack Galligan (0-1) took the loss in relief after surrendering six runs (six earned) in 2.1 innings of relief. Blake Berry and Tyler Zeutenhorst each went deep for the Apollos.
Sioux Falls looks to pick up two wins on Saturday behind the RHP Carlos Pimentel (1-1, 5.00 ERA) and the RHP Eddie Medina (1-0, 4.91 ERA). RHP Nick Beardsley (0-0, 16.20 ERA) will start Game 1 for Houston. RHP Matt Cronin (0-1, 11.25 ERA) will start Game 2.
Saturday will be Dazed and Confused Day and Saturday Night Live Night at the Birdcage. Tickets for the first game of the doubleheader will be good for both contests (excluding suite tickets).
For more information on the Canaries, follow the team on Twitter @canaries. To purchase tickets and for all other team information, visit sfcanaries.com. Media contact: joey@sfcanaries.com.
(Joey Sanaboni contributed to this report)
