SIOUX CITY, Iowa— The Sioux City Explorers (27-17) and Winnipeg Goldeyes (20-22) split a tightly contested doubleheader on Thursday night, with Winnipeg claiming a 5-4 victory in game one before Sioux City answered with a 1-0 win in game two. Each contest showcased dominant pitching and timely hitting, as both clubs battled to set up a decisive rubber match.
Austin Drury and Mitchell Lambson (5-1) traded scoreless frames through the first two innings, keeping both offenses quiet until an offensive surge in the third.
The breakthrough began when Andy Armstrong led off the top of the inning with a double to left-center. Ramon Bramasco advanced him to third with a well-executed sacrifice bunt, and Roby Enriquez followed with an RBI double to drive in the game’s first run.
The Goldeyes were just getting started. Max Murphy added to the tally with a run-scoring single, extending the lead to 2-0.
Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, former Detroit Tiger Jacob Robson delivered a sharply hit grounder up the middle that slipped into center field, plating two more runs and giving Winnipeg a commanding 4-0 advantage.
The Explorers mounted a response in the bottom half of the third. Abdiel Layer worked a walk, Kurtis Byrne reached on a fielder’s choice, and a pitch hit Austin Davis to load the bases for Sioux City’s most dependable bat, Henry George.
George, the South Dakota State alum, rose to the occasion, crushing a 1-2 pitch from Mitchell Lambson over the right-field wall for the team’s second grand slam of the season, tying the game with one powerful swing.
The game remained even into the seventh and final inning. Brett Matthews (0-1) took over for Jaren Jackson and quickly recorded the first two outs before giving up a single to Keshawn Lynch. Ray-Patrick Didder then drew a walk, and Jacob Robson delivered the go-ahead blow with a double to right field.
Lambson returned for the bottom of the seventh and slammed the door with a perfect inning, earning a complete game victory and setting the stage for a decisive rubber match.
Game two featured another early pitcher’s duel, but unlike the previous contest, this one remained a low-scoring battle from start to finish. Sioux City’s Jared Wetherbee (5-1) and Winnipeg’s Luke Boyd (1-4) matched each other pitch for pitch through the first three innings.
The Explorers finally broke the stalemate in the bottom of the fourth. Carlos Castro led off the inning with a single but remained stranded at first with two outs. Osvaldo Tovalin then worked a walk to put runners on first and second, and Nick Shumpert came through with a base hit to score Castro and give Sioux City a 1-0 lead.
Following the brief setback, Boyd quickly regained command and fired a scoreless fifth to keep Winnipeg within striking distance. With two outs in the sixth inning, manager Logan Watkins turned to left-hander Ben Onyshko, who faced runners at the corners with two outs and retired the side without a blemish.
The 1-0 score held firm as the game entered the seventh and final inning. Felix Cepeda closed out the seventh and notched his 11th save of the season.
The X’s head on the road for a three-game set against the Sioux Falls Canaries. Game one starts at 7:05 p.m., game two gets underway at 5:35 p.m. and game three kicks off at 4:05 p.m. The X’s return home July 1st against the Kane County Cougars. 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.
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