SIOUX FALLS, SD -- The Sioux Falls Canaries arms continued their hot stretch of pitching by stymieing the Sioux City Explorers on Saturday night. A 3-1 win before 3,198 fans at Sioux Falls Stadium completed a four-game sweep, and the Birds (23-32) win their fifth consecutive game and 10th of their last 13 contests.

Sioux Falls pitching allowed just four runs, three earned, in the series, and they have yielded just four runs in last five games.

Canaries starter Kyle Ruwe (6-5) continued a dominant stretch by tossing 7 1/3 innings on just one run. He left in the eighth inning with a 3-1 lead and the potential tying runs on base, but Matt Daly induced two pop outs to end the inning.

Ruwe has now allowed just one run in his last 16 1/3 innings pitched, and he has gone 3-0 in his last four starts.  He did not issue any walks for the second consecutive start, and he fanned one.

All of the game’s offense came in the fourth inning. Sioux City's Luke Murton knocked home a run with a single in the top of the fourth, but Tim Pahuta’s line drive, two-run home run in the bottom half gave the Birds a 2-1 lead.

Jake Taylor followed with a double and scored on Marcos Rodriguez’ single.

Pahuta leads the team with 15 home runs. Taylor played for the first time since Sunday and went 2-for-3.

Alan DeRatt tossed a scoreless ninth for his 12th save in as many attempts. After giving up a leadoff walk, he struck out Murton and induced a game-ending double play.

The Birds wrapped up an eight-game home stand with a 6-2 mark, and they are 9-3 in July.  After an off day on Sunday, the Canaries begin a three-game road series against the first-place Fargo-Moorhead on Monday.

Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Canaries

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