SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 29, 2024
By Dan Vaughan Jr.
CANARIES ESCAPE CAGE WITH THE WIN
X’S LAUNCH THREE HOMERS IN HARD LUCK LOSS
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Sioux City Explorers (47-49) hit three home runs and had the lead three times Thursday night against the Sioux Falls Canaries (52-43) but came up empty in their bid to claim a playoff spot in a 7-6 loss at Sioux Falls Stadium.
The Explorers jumped on Canaries starter Seth Miller from the get-go in the top of the first. Before the hometown fans were settled in Scott Ota hit a first pitch two-run home run to right and he was followed with a solo jack from Justin Connell for a 3-0 lead.
J.D. Scholten retired the Canaries in order in the first, but Sioux Falls would come back for the first of three times on the night in the second. Josh Rehwaldt would double to start the bottom of the stanza. A wild pitch moved him to third and a sacrifice fly by Jabari Henry put Sioux Falls on the board to make it 3-1. Ernny Ordonez then cut the lead to 3-2 with a two out solo home run to left off Scholten. Scott Combs would follow with a single and Wyatt Ulrich would double to put runners at second and third. A check swing roller to third off the bat of Mike Hart scored Combs and the game was tied at three.
The X’s would retake the lead in the top of the third. John Nogowski singled with one out then Ota hit his second home run of the night to make it 5-3. Scholten would execute the shutdown inning in the bottom of the third to keep Sioux City out in front.
Sioux Falls would come right back in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game again. Scholten would hit Combs with a pitch and surrender a single to Ulrich. Hart put down a perfect drag bunt to load the bases for the birds. Then Sioux Falls would tie the game on back-to-back sac flies to even the game up at five. The X’s went to Jeremy Goins in relief of Scholten with two outs and he would strike out Rehwaldt to end the inning. Scholten would go 3.2 innings in a no decision. Goins would work a scoreless fifth for Sioux City.
Sioux City took the lead in the sixth inning off reliever Jose Cruz. Daniel Lingua singled to start the inning. Ozzie Martinez put down a sac bunt and would bump into Canaries catcher Scott Combs and fall down but was still ruled out but did move Lingua to second. Nick Shumpert would walk to put two on for the Explorers. The pair would execute a double steal to move runners to second and to third. Jake Ortega struck out but a dropped third strike forced catcher Combs to throw to first. Lingua raced home to score the go ahead run.
The Canaries came back again but this time to take the lead. Goins walked Ulrich and Hart to start the home half of the sixth. Brandon Brosher came into the game for Sioux City. Spencer Sarringar attempted to move the runners with a sac bunt but Nogowski came flying down the right side of the infield and scooped the ball and threw immediately to third to get Ulrich for the first out of the inning. Hunter Clanin then hit a ground ball over the bag at third to drive in a pair and the Canaries had their first lead of the night.
The Canaries pen the retired the Explorers in order over the next three innings to close out the game with closer Charlie Hasty picking up his 18th save. Sioux City still needs another win or loss by Kansas City to clinch a playoff spot. Kansas City remained alive in the race with a win over Fargo-Moorhead.
The Explorers will return home to face the Cleburne Railroaders in game one of a four game regular season ending series Friday night August 30 at 7:05 p.m. Tickets for remaining games are available at the Lewis and Clark box office or online. More information is available by calling 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.
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