By Scott Lemon

The Sioux Falls Canaries scored all three of their runs in the first four innings, but failed to get a hit after that as they fell to the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks on Friday night in Fargo.

Starter Stephen Bougher suffered his tenth loss of the year. He gave up four runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out five in six full innings of work.

Fargo jumped out to an early lead in the first. Kes Carter led off the inning with a single. Keury De La Cruz pounded a one-out pitch over the wall in left as the RedHawks took the lead 2-0.

The Canaries got one back in the second. Blake Schmit reached with a leadoff single. Cameron Monger, who finished the night 2-for-3 at the plate to pace the offense, roped a single to center. Both Schmit and Monger moved up a base on an error by the center fielder, putting runners at second and third. Schmit came home to score on a B.J. Guinn sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Sioux Falls took the lead in the fourth. After back-to-back fly outs started the inning, Monger reached with a single, then stole second. Guinn picked up his second RBI of the day with a single, scoring Monger to tie the game at two. Mike Falsetti walked and Aaron Owen singled to load the bases. Ethan Chapman joined the hit parade with a RBI knock of his own, scoring Guinn from third as the Birds took a 3-2 lead.

Unfortunately for the Canaries, the offense went silent after the fourth inning. The Hawks tacked on two runs in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead, and Fargo starter Jose Almarante went into cruise control. Almarante put the Birds down in order in his final four innings of work before being replaced in the ninth by closer Colton Reavis. Monger walked to lead off the ninth to break the trend, but was caught stealing on a perfect throw from the catcher, as Reavis only faced three batters in the ninth to secure the 4-3 Fargo victory.

The Canaries and RedHawks square off in a day game on Saturday. The game, which was originally scheduled for 6:05 p.m., was moved up due to a North Dakota State football game across the parking lot on Saturday night. The new start time is set for 1:00 p.m. Canaries ace Joe Bircher (4-6, 2.54 ERA) will take the mound for the Birds on Saturday. The Birds will return home next Tuesday in their final home series of the season, welcoming in the Gary Railcats for the second time. Contact the Canaries ticket office for information regarding single game or season ticket options by calling 605-336-6060 or visit the website at www.sfcanaries.com for more information.

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