SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
July 1, 2023
By Dan Vaughan Jr.
EIGHTH INNING SWINGS GAME FOR LINCOLN
EXPLORERS CAN’T COMPLETE COMEBACK
LINCOLN, Neb. – Luke Roskam drove a full count, two-out, bases-loaded double to left center field off Kent Hasler (2-2), clearing the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning to provide the difference in a 6-4 win for the Lincoln Saltdogs (22-22) over the Sioux City Explorers (21-24) Saturday night in Lincoln.
The Explorers, who had not had a comeback win all season and were 0-17 when trailing after seven innings, looked to be on the cusp of claiming this evening’s win in the top of the eighth inning. Trailing 3-2, John Nogowski drew a walk off Saltdogs reliever Carter Hope (3-1) with one out for Sioux City. Hope would retire Vince Fernandez on a deep fly to right center that Nick Anderson of Lincoln tracked down with a leaping catch at the wall for out number two. Hope would have no such help on the next batter when Miguel Sierra nailed a triple to the same area to score Nogowski and tie the game at three. Wilfredo Gimenez then hit a line-drive single to center field over the head of Anderson to give Sioux City the lead 4-3.
Lincoln would grab the lead in the second inning off X’s spot starter Heitor Tokar on a sac fly from Nate Samson. The Saltdogs would grab the 1-0 lead on two walks and a hit by pitch, but Tokar would hold Lincoln to one run on the night and toss four hitless innings.
Sioux City would take the lead off Lincoln starter Tanner Brown in the top of the fifth inning. Gimenez singled with one out and would be followed by Jake Ortega who worked a walk. Brown would strike out Delvin Zinn but would surrender a double to right center off the stick of Jake Sanford to make it 2-1 in favor of Sioux City.
The X’s turned to lefty Carlos Diaz in the bottom of the fifth who would give up a one-out RBI single to Roskam—one of his four RBI on the night—to tie the game. In the sixth Francys Peguero would strike out three batters but would also yield a solo home run to Yanio Perez to give Lincoln the lead 3-2 after six. Nate Gercken worked out of a two-on jam in the seventh to keep the deficit at one for Sioux City.
After the X’s grabbed the lead in the top of the eighth Hasler came into the game and retired the first batter Will Kengor but then gave up back-to-back hits to Perez and Zane Zurbrugg to put runners at first and second. Aaron Takacs then hit into a fielder’s choice to force out Zurbrugg at second base for the second out of the inning. Nate Samson would draw a four-pitch walk to load the bases for Roskam who would be down to the final strike in the eighth and deliver the eventual game-winning runs off Hasler. The Explorers would not go down quietly in the top of the ninth. With one out, Jake Sanford would walk, and with two outs Matt Lloyd would reach on an infield single off Hope. Matt Cronin would come in to pick up his fourth save by getting Nogowski to fly out to center.
The Explorers and Saltdogs wrap up the three-game series Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. The Explorers return home for a seven-game homestand starting Monday July 3 with a first pitch at 7:05 p.m. Tickets for the season can be purchased online at XSBaseball.com, in person at the Lewis and Clark Park Box Office or by calling 712-277-WINS. You can catch all the X’s action on aabaseball.tv and on radio at KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360.