SIOUX FALLS, SD -- The Sioux Falls Canaries suffered a lopsided 12-2 loss to the Amarillo Sox on Sunday afternoon at Sioux Falls Stadium to set up a rubber game for the season finale on Monday.

Amarillo (52-47) kept their playoff hopes alive with the victory, remaining at least one game behind South Division leading Grand Prairie and Laredo.

The Sox jumped on Canaries starter Kyle Vazquez (3-5) for four runs in the third inning, never looking back after Chris Valencia’s RBI single. Amarillo batted around with three hits, and they took advantage of an error, a walk and a hit batsman.

Jake Taylor doubled in the Canaries’ first run in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 4-1, but Amarillo responded with five more runs in the fifth. Kyle Nichols delivered the big blow with a two-run home run.

The Sox amassed 14 hits total, and Nichols finished 2-for-4 with three RBI. K.C. Serna and Adam De La Garza each had three hits.

Kevin Dultz lined a solo home run to left in the seventh inning, his second of the year, for the only other Canaries run.

Vazquez lost for the third time as a starter, allowing nine runs, six earned, and 10 hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out two.  The Birds record dropped to 41-58.

Despite three hit batters and a wild pitch, Joe Newby (7-5) picked up the win for Amarillo. He had a quality start, allowing only one run and two hits in six innings. He walked two and fanned six.

The final game of the year is at 12:05 p.m. on Labor Day Monday at Sioux Falls Stadium.

Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Canaries

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