The Birdcage turned into a launching pad on Wednesday night with Lincoln and Sioux Falls combining for six homeruns.  Unfortunately for the Saltdogs, they only hit one of them in a 13-4 loss to the Canaries.  The setback stalled Lincoln’s drive to claim the American Association’s North Division first-half title but their magic number over both Sioux Falls and St. Paul did remain at 2.

The Canaries turned on the power in their first at bat when Will Smith hit a solo homerun to put the Birds on top 1-0.  Abner Arroyo turned the tricked with a leadoff homer in the second and an out later Matt Imwalle hit one of his own to give Sioux Falls a 3-0 lead on three homeruns.

Trailing 4-0 heading into the fifth, Lincoln closed the margin when Tony Garcia drove in Jay Yaconetti for the Saltdogs’ first run.  But any momentum they had was halted quickly when the Canaries sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the inning and scored six runs on five hits.  Damon Lessler’s three-run homerun with two outs put the Birds comfortably in front, 10-1.  In the top of the sixth inning, Lincoln ’s first baseman Brett Cooley hit his third homerun of the series, three-run blast to left-center field,, but the game was essentially out of reach.  Sioux Falls added three more runs, including a two-run homerun in the eighth, to finish the scoring.

The two teams wrap up their three-game series on Thursday night at 7 p.m.  RHP Kyle Ruwe (4-2) will start for Lincoln against LHP Ryan Ford (2-2, 5.23).  The Saltdogs head into the finale 30-12 on the year with a 3.5 game lead on St. Paul in the North.  The Dogs and the Saints begin a four-game series at Haymarket Park on Friday that will conclude the first half of play.