The RailCats were set for their fifth game of the road trip and their second against the Sioux Falls Canaries at the Birdcage. The Canaries were coming off of their 13-1 win against the RailCats and went for the series win a day early as the ‘Cats pitched Peyton Long against former all-star, Ryan Zimmerman.
Long and Zimmerman traded zeros through the first five innings. Long worked out a couple of baserunners but still kept up with Zimmerman who was throwing a perfect game through the first six innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, Josh Rehwaldt broke the seal with a solo blast into right field to give the Canaries the lead. Long would get a strikeout to close out the inning with a couple of runners on base to finish out his start.
Joan Valdez would be the first RailCat out of the bullpen in the bottom of the seventh. Sioux Falls loaded up the bases for Rehwaldt grooved a two-run double and the Canaries built themselves a 4-0 lead.
Zimmerman retired 22 RailCats in a row until Jackson Valera got a ball to drop in down the right field line for his seventh double of the season. A few batters later, Guillermo Quintana roped a single into center to drive in Valera to cut into the lead. With runners at first and second, Gary manager Lamarr Rogers turned to Jose Contreras to hit for Cooper Edwards, he would strike out swinging to end the threat.
The Canaries were able to put together another rally against the RailCats where they plated five runs. Gary couldn’t get anything going against Zimmerman in the ninth with the starter going the distance for the first time in his professional career.
The RailCats drop to 20-34 on the season and lose their fourth series in a row. Peyton Long was giving the losing decision despite going six innings, allowing one earned run, and struck out four. The series ends tomorrow at 4:05 with Tai Tiedemann making the start against Seth Miller. The game will be broadcasted on www.AABaseball.TV, MIXLR, and WE.FM 95.9.
