Brian Humphries Homers in Sioux Falls Canaries’ 5-2 Loss to Sioux City Explorers

By: J.J. Hartigan

The Sioux Falls Canaries (29-44) wrapped up a three-game series against the Sioux City Explorers (55-18) on Monday night with a 5-2 loss in front of a crowd of 3,088 at Sioux Falls Stadium.

LHP Joe Bircher (3-3, 3.71 ERA) returned to the starting rotation, making just his second appearance since coming off the disabled list, and worked two innings in the start for Sioux Falls. Bircher allowed two runs, on two hits, but left the game after reaching his pitch count limit in a 2-2 tie.

Bircher’s only two runs allow came in the top of the first inning. The Lefty retired the first two batters of the night before giving up a two-out single to Rene Tosoni, who scored a batter later on Brock Kjeldgaard’s two-run homer, his 12th of the season.

Brian Humphries responded in the bottom half of the second inning with his 12th homerun of the season, a lead-off shot to right-center. Jason Repko followed that up with a double, and later scored the tying run on an Angel Chavez RBI groundout.

Sioux City’s starting pitcher, Ryan Zimmerman (11-2, 1.96 ERA) settled down after the two-run bottom of the second, allowing just three more hits over his seven innings of work. The right-hander earned the victory after allowing two runs on five hits, recording six strikeouts over seven innings.

Relief pitcher Dennis Neal suffered the loss in his first appearance with the Birds’, allowing three runs on five hits in two innings of work.

Repko was the only Canaries to finish the night with more than one hit, going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Chavez and Humphries each finished 1-for-4 with an RBI.

The Birds’ head back out on the road to open up a three-game series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Tuesday night at 7:05 PM. RHP Shawn Blackwell (2-7, 4.14 ERA) gets the ball in the series opener.

The Canaries open up a weekend series against the Gary-Southshore RailCats on Friday, August 14th. Catch the action on the field at 7:05 PM, and be sure to stick around after the game for the final Friday night All-Star Fireworks Display of the 2015 season presented by Orthopedic Institute and Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital.