SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 20, 2024
By Austin Thomas
SIOUX CITY SWIPES SERIES
EXPLORERS TAKE RUBBER MATCH WITH LATE STATEMENT
Lincoln, Neb. – The Sioux City Explorers (16-20) claimed the series against the Lincoln Saltdogs (14-24) Thursday night, winning the finale 10-6. The offense exploded as Sioux City’s Daniel Montano batted 4-4 from the plate while John Nogowski went 3-4 and Daniel Lingua had three RBI. A great start from Sioux City starter Joey Murray (3-2) saw him go six innings, allowing just one hit to pace the Explorers’ win.
The X’s got started right away when Sioux City’s John Nogowski opened the scoring in the top of the first with an RBI single off Lincoln starter Abdallah Aris (1-4), driving in Daniel Lingua and giving the Explorers a 1-0 lead.
Sioux City’s Lingua scored again in the top of the second, this time with a two-run blast off Lincoln’s Aris with Jake Ortega on base, extending the lead to 3-0.
The Explorers offense continued cooking in the top of the third when Sioux City’s Jake Ortega drew a bases-loaded walk from Lincoln’s Aris, making it a 4-0 game. Lincoln’s Pablo Arevalo relieved Aris with two outs in the frame and finished the X’s for the inning.
The Saltdogs got their first run of the game in the bottom of the third when Lincoln’s Max Hewitt scored on a grounder from Jack Dragum, cutting the Explorers lead to 4-1.
After three innings of no-hit baseball, the Saltdogs finally got their first hit of the game off Sioux City starter Joey Murray in the bottom of the fourth, although it wasn’t enough to produce any runs.
The X’s added two more runs in the top of the seventh, first with Sioux City’s Daniel Montano crossing on a balk from Lincoln reliever Ian Oxnevad and another when Daniel Perez picked up a sac fly RBI, sending home Martinez and making it 6-1.
Sioux City’s Jaren Jackson relieved Murray in the bottom of the seventh after he finished with six innings of one-run, one-hit ball. The Saltdogs reduced the Explorers’ lead on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Lincoln’s Zane Zurbrugg, sending home Nick Anderson, but Dakota Conners also scored on an error from Sioux City shortstop Nick Shumpert trying to turn two. With the X’s lead at 6-3, the Saltdogs put runners on the corners with two away, but Jackson worked out of the jam.
Nate Gercken relieved Sioux City’s Jackson to start the eighth, and after loading the bases, an RBI fielder’s choice from Lincoln’s Max Hewitt made it a two-run game by plating Alex Baeza.
Lincoln’s Dan Kubiak relieved David Zoz to begin the ninth and after loading the bases, Sioux City’s John Nogowski scored on a fielding error from Lincoln shortstop Drew Devine, extending the lead to 7-4 with the bases still loaded. Sioux City’s Jake Ortega followed immediately after with a two-RBI double, waving around Montano and Chase Harris and making it 9-4. That quickly became 10-4 after Sioux City’s Lingua kept the hit parade going with an RBI single, scoring Daniel Perez.
Rayne Supple pitched the ninth for the X’s, allowing a leadoff single to Lincoln’s Zane Zurbrugg followed by a two-out homer from Spencer Henson that made it 10-6, but Supple did enough to finish the Explorers’ victory.
The Explorers return home for a three-game weekend set with the Sioux Falls Canaries with game one Friday night June 21 at 7:05 p.m. For more information or for media requests, please feel free to reach out at 817-739-3693. Tickets for the season can be purchased online as XSBaseball.com, in person at the Lewis and Clark Park Box Office or by calling 712-277-WINS.
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