SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 17, 2024
By Dan Vaughan Jr.
EXPLORERS BLANK GOLDEYES
DRURY, WILLEMAN AND MARMAN SPIN SHUT OUT
Winnipeg, Manitoba – In the top of the tenth on bark in the park night in Winnipeg, one of the four-legged friends hopped the wall and ran onto the field as if to give the Goldeyes a little extra help. It was not enough, and the Sioux City Explorers (39-45) would pull out a 1-0 win over the Winnipeg Goldeyes (47-37) when Zac Vooletich drove in Ozzie Martinez with a one-out single off Goldeyes reliever Thomas Ponticelli to plate the only run of the game for Sioux City.
The game was the ultimate pitcher’s duel. Explorers’ lefty Austin Drury tossed six hitless innings before an infield single in the seventh from Max Murphy gave the Goldeyes their first hit. Fellow portsider Travis Seabrooke held Sioux City scoreless, scattering five hits over 6.1 innings. The Explorers had a chance to take the lead in the third with two on and two outs, but Seabrooke dodged any trouble. He worked around a lead-off walk in the fourth and a lead-off single from D’Shawn Knowles in the sixth by retiring the next three batters in order to keep the X’s at bay.
Drury was even better on the mound for Sioux City. The lefty retired the first eight batters before issuing a third inning walk to Andy Armstrong. Drury then sat down the next eight batters until Armstrong once again worked a walk in the bottom of the sixth with two outs. He then took care of the Goldeyes after the Murphy seventh-inning single, keeping the game scoreless following the stretch. In the eighth, Drury allowed his second hit on a leadoff single to Dayson Croes and then issued his third walk of the night to Nick Anderson. Drury picked up his first out on a fly to right from Edwin Arroyo that moved Croes to third. The Explorers would bring in Zach Willeman who would strike out Andy Armstrong and retire Ramon Bramasco on a ground ball to first.
Seabrooke would allow a one-out single in the seventh to Nick Shumpert and be relieved by Nick Trogrlic-Iverson. Shumpert was caught stealing, and Trogrlic-Iverson struck out Vooletich for the third out of the inning. Trogrlic-Iverson worked a scoreless eighth for the Goldeyes while Ponticelli would sit down the Explorers in order in the top of the ninth. Willeman would return the favor and retire Winnipeg with a one, two and three bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra innings.
Ozzie Martinez was the miracle runner, starting the tenth frame at second. Scott Ota singled to right to put runners at the corners. Nick Shumpert would fly to right for the first out off Ponticelli, bringing up Vooletich who drove in the eventual winning run with a base hit to right. Cam Cannon would bounce into a double play to give Winnipeg their shot to tie or take the lead with Miles Simington starting the bottom of the tenth at second. Kyle Marman came into the game and forced a ground out to third from Rob Emery, holding Simington at second. Croes would ground to second to move the tying run to third, but Marman Finished off the Goldeyes with a strikeout swinging of Anderson to earn his 16thsave.
Willeman (3-2) picked up the relief win while Ponticelli (0-2) was charged with the loss. The win for Sioux City and the loss for Kansas City to Milwaukee pulled the X’s to two games behind the Monarchs for the fourth playoff spot in the American Associations West Division playoff race.
The Explorers will wrap up the weekend three-game series on Sunday, August 18 at 1:00 p.m. from Blue Cross Park. J.D. Scholten will take the hill for Sioux City. Ticket packages for the 2024 season are on sale now, including Full and Half-Season Tickets as well as 10, 15 and 25-game Flex Packs. 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.