Fargo, N.D.—The Sioux City Explorers (53-29) outlasted the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (47-35) in a tense extra-inning battle, pulling out a 7-6 win in ten frames. Kurtis Byrne came through with the game-winning knock in his first game back from the injured list.
Both teams made impactful moves to bolster their respective rosters before the series opener. The RedHawks traded outfielder Alec Olund, three players to be named later and cash considerations to the Milwaukee Milkmen for catcher Erik Ostberg. The Explorers signed infielder Maikol Escotto, activated catcher Kurtis Byrne off the injured list and transferred catcher Landen Barns and right-handed pitcher Zac Addkison to the injured list.
The Explorers began the night just one stolen base shy of the league’s all-time stolen bases record of 213 set by the 2023 Milwaukee Milkmen. Henry George reached on a fielder’s choice in the top of the first inning and took off for second, but Juan Fernandez gunned him down. The Explorers were three of eight in stolen base attempts in the previous series as the RedHawks stifled Sioux City’s biggest weapon.
Austin Drury ran into trouble in the bottom half of the first frame, loading the bases with a single and two walks. The left-hander faced Fernandez with two outs and the sacks still full and forced him to line out to shortstop to end the inning.
In the next half-inning, D’Shawn Knowles reached first on a leadoff walk and swiped record-tying stolen base number 213, sliding head first safely into second. Sioux City loaded the bases later in the inning with none out.
Fargo-Moorhead’s starter Kyle Crigger walked Torin Montgomery to break the scoreless tie. Another followed when Byrne grounded into a double play.
The reigning Carbliss American Association Batter of the Week, Michael Hallquist, clubbed his third triple in as many games in the bottom of the third inning, driving in Jose Sermo from first and cutting the lead in half. The triple marked Hallquist’s eighth extra-base hit in the last four games against the Explorers.
An action-packed matchup continued as Knowles swiped his second base of the game in the top of the fourth as the Sioux City Explorers broke the American Association’s record of stolen bases in a single season with their 214th. The Explorers scored three times in the inning, capped off by Kurtis Byrne’s first hit since coming off the injured list, an RBI double down the left-field line.
The Explorers’ bats went back to work in the fifth, placing two runners in scoring position for Escotto. The former Pittsburgh Pirates farmhand lifted a 1-2 offering out to right field for a sacrifice fly, increasing the X’s lead to 6-1.
Drury gave it up all in one shot. Dillon Thomas singled, then the lefty beaned Jose Sermo, sending the newly acquired Ostberg to the plate. Drury sent him down on strikes, but walked Hallquist to load the bases.
Drury worked the count full on Fernandez, but walked him to bring in a run. The next batter, Lamar Sparks, blooped the next pitch into center field, knocking in a pair and dropping Sioux City’s lead to just two runs.
The rally continued when Nicholas pulled Fargo-Moorhead within a run with a two-RBI double down the left-field line. Drury walked Byrne to reload the bases, and that was all manager Steve Montgomery needed to make the call to the pen.
Veteran right-hander Nate Gercken took over to stop the bleeding, facing Hunter Clanin, the ninth batter of the frame. Clanin tied the ballgame with a sacrifice fly to shallow center field.
Right-hander Tyler Jeans took over for the RedHawks and loaded the bases in the sixth, setting up an RBI opportunity for Knowles, but he flew out to center to end the inning. Gercken popped back out for his first full inning of relief and steamrolled through a 1-2-3 frame.
Jeans responded by retiring the side in order in the seventh, and Gercken answered with a scoreless inning of his own, keeping the game tied heading into the eighth inning.
Fargo-Moorhead’s manager Chris Coste elected to bring in Kyle Johnston, who worked through a scoreless eighth, and Steve Montgomery brought in setup man Chase Jessee (7-1). The left-hander struck out side as the contest stayed knotted at six heading into the final frame of regulation.
Lefty Parker Harm (2-3) replaced Johnston in the ninth, and George found his way on via an infield single and Zac Vooletich moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Harm then hit Knowles with a pitch, putting two on with one out for Josh Day, sending the shortstop down on strikes. Escotto then flew out to left to end the inning.
Fargo-Moorhead needed just one to send the crowd home happy in the bottom of the ninth, and Jessee was the arm that stood in their way. Jessee struck out the side again, punching out six consecutive batters in his outing as the game moved into extra frames.
Harm came back out for the tenth as Escotto took his place as the zombie runner at second base. Torin Montgomery struck out but Escotto stole third base, moving the go-ahead run 90 feet away. With the infield drawn in, Byrne served a single into right as the Explorers snatched the lead.
Felix Cepeda took the hill in the bottom of tenth inning and shut the door on the RedHawks. Kansas City defeated Milwaukee so the X’s lead in the West Division stayed at five games, but Sioux City evened the season series with Fargo-Moorhead at five games apiece. Tonight marked the seventh time in the last 20 games the Explorers played an extra-inning contest.
The Explorers continue the series with Fargo-Moorhead on Wednesday and they conclude the series on Thrursday First pitch for both games is set for 7:02 p.m. Ticket packages for the 2025 season are on sale now, including Full and Half-Season Tickets as well as 10-, 15-, and 25-game Flex Packs. For more information, please call the Explorers front office at 712-277-WINS. Stay tuned to the Explorers’ social media channels and the club’s website, xsbaseball.com, for all our news and updates.
Notes from the Booth with DV:
-The season series is tied at 5-5.
-Sioux City is 20-8 in one run games.
-The X’s lead is five games over KC and six over Fargo-Moorhead
-The Explorers are 33-15 in games decided by two runs or less.
-The Explorers road record is a league leading 27-15.
-Sioux City is 11-3 on Tuesdays.
-The X’s broke the single season American Association stolen base record of 213 and stole six in the game.