GARY, IN (KELO.com) — The Sioux Falls Canaries built an early lead Friday night and never looked back, highlighted by six-run fifth inning to top Gary SouthShore 9-2 at the Steel Yard.
Ozzie Martinez led off the top of the first inning with a single and scored on a two-out base hit from Gavin LaValley.
Aaron Takacs drew a walk to start the second inning, stole second base and reached third on an error. He then scored on a sacrifice groundout from Nick Gotta.
The third inning began with back-to-back singles from Angelo Altavilla and Jabari Henry. Altavilla then reached third base on a LaValley sacrifice and scored on a deep flyout from Trey Michalczewski.
After being turned away scoreless in the fourth, Henry started the fifth inning with a single before LaValley reached on error and Michalczewski walked to load the bases. Takacs delivered a two-run double before Shamoy Christopher made the score 6-0 with an RBI single. Gotta followed with a two-run double of his own and Henry added a sacrifice fly before the inning ended.
The Railcats scored their two runs with a bases loaded walk in the sixth inning and a two-out double in the eighth.
Seven different Canaries recorded a hit, led by Ozzie Martinez with three. Gotta drove in three runs while Cesilio Pimentel allowed a run over six innings to earn his first pitching victory. The Birds are now 28-42 and look to clinch the three-game series Saturday at 4:00pm.
