SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2024
By Dan Vaughan Jr.
EXPLORERS OUTLAST MILKMEN IN EXTRAS
WILD NIGHT IN WISCONSIN ENDS IN A W
Franklin, Wis.– A rollercoaster Saturday night that started with a Nick Shumpert home run and ended with Nate Gercken retiring the winning run in the 11th inning gave the Sioux City Explorers (19-23) a hard earned 8-7 win over the Milwaukee Milkmen (24-20) at Franklin Field. It was the details that went on between that helped turn in one of the most memorable games of the season for Sioux City.
Sioux City would pick up the solo home run from Shumpert in the first off Milwaukee starter Jhordany Mezquita with one out for a 1-0 advantage. The X’s would strike again in the top of the second on a fielder’s choice RBI from Jake Ortega and a RBI single from Daniel Lingua to make it 3-0.
Milwaukee would score a run off Braunny Munoz in the bottom of the second with a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded off the bat of Abdiel Layer to cut the lead to 3-1. Munoz would get into trouble in the third inning as well loading the bases, but the right-hander would strikeout Chase Estep with the sacks full to keep the game 3-1.
Sioux City had chances in the third and fourth inning but stranded a pair in each inning. Munoz settled down and struck out the next four batters after the inning ending strikeout in the third getting the game into the fifth inning with Sioux City still out in front 3-1. Munoz looked to have the second out of the inning but an error at second base by Daniel Lingua allowed Trey Law to reach. Then for the second night in a row former Explorer Jose Sermo homered to right center to tie the game at three.
Sioux City came right back in the top of the sixth with Cameron Cannon walking and Jake Ortega picking up his second hit of the night to right field to put runners on first and second with one out off Mezquita. Milwaukee called upon lefty Ben Gerl to face Lingua who would fly out to right. Shumpert then would follow with a two out double down the left field line to score Cannon and Sioux City retook the lead at 4-3. Sioux City had a chance to add to the lead but left the bases loaded on a ground out by John Nogowski.
Milwaukee would pick up a leadoff walk from Oscar Santos off Brandon Brosher who took over for Munoz in the sixth. Brosher then retired the next three in a row including a strikeout of Wendell Marrero to end the inning.
The Explorers would get runners on first and second in the seventh but were also held off the board by the Milwaukee pen. In the bottom of the seventh Sioux City once again dodged trouble. Jaren Jackson took over on the mound and would hit Law to start the inning. Sermo would strikeout and Erik Ostberg would pop out to third for the second out. Jackson then intentionally walked Jaylin Davis and then Estep worked a free pass to load the bases. Pedro Gonzalez came in the game to strike out Santos with the bases loaded to hold off Milwaukee.
After a 1-2-3 top of the eighth for Sioux City Gonzalez walked Reggie Pruitt Jr. with one out. Kyle Marman came into the game for the Explorers and struck out Marrero and Law to take the teams to the top of the ninth. Jordan Johnson would send Sioux City down in order and they went to the bottom of the ninth with Sioux City still clinging to a 4-3 lead. Marman was looking to record a five-out save but came up two outs short. Ostberg would launch a home run to right to tie the game at four with one out. Marman retired Davis with a ground ball to third but surrendered a two out single to Estep. The right-hander then struck out Santos to send the game to extra innings.
The international tie breaker rules sent Ozzie Martinez to second to start the top of the 10th to face Johnson who was still in the game for Milwaukee. Chase Harris could not move Martinez to third base fouling two pitches off trying to bunt and would strikeout for out number one. Cannon then popped out to first and it looked like the X’s would not score in the inning. Martinez would move to third on a passed ball by Santos with Ortega batting. Then a wild pitch by Johnson scored Martinez on a 3-1 count to Ortega that was called a strike to send the count full and give Sioux City the 5-4 lead. Ortega then would pop out to the catcher Santos for the third out.
Milwaukee would tie the game at five in the bottom of the 10th. Layer would reach on an infield single trying to bunt the runner at second Santos to third. Marman then struck out Reggie Pruitt Jr. for the first out but a sac fly from Marrero tied the game at five. Law would reach on an infield single bringing up Sermo with a chance to win the game for Milwaukee. Marman induced a ground ball to second to end the inning and move the game to the 11th.
Victor Capellan took over for Milwaukee in the top of the 11th. Ortega started at second base for Sioux City and would move to third on a ground out to first from Lingua. Shumpert then hit a deep fly to center to score Ortega and Sioux City had the lead again 6-5. Scott Ota would work a walk and then Milwaukee would intentionally pass Daniel Perez to put runners at first and second. Perez had come into the game in the ninth following the ejection of Nogowski from the game. Sioux City executed a double steal two of six stolen bases on the night and the insurance was a step closer. Zac Vooletich drove a ball back up the box to score two and give Sioux City the 8-5 lead.
Milwaukee was not done just yet. Nate Gercken came into the game for the Explorers to close the door. With a runner at second Gercken retired Ostberg on a three to one ground out to move the runner to third. Davis then launched a deep home run to center to cut the lead to 8-7. Gercken then got Estep to fly out to third but then he would walk Santos to bring the winning run to the plate. He would retire Layer on a fly to left center to end the game and send the X’s back to the hotel with their second extra inning win of the season and an 8-7 final.
The Explorers will play game three of the four game series against the Milwaukee Milkmen Sunday afternoon June 30 at Franklin Field in Franklin, Wisconsin with a first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. For more information or for media requests, please feel free to reach out at 817-739-3693. Tickets for the season can be purchased online as XSBaseball.com, in person at the Lewis and Clark Park Box Office or by calling 712-277-WINS.
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