EXPLORERS RALLIES POWER WAY TO CRUCIAL WIN
X’s Lead Wire to Wire To Down Railroaders
Cleburne, TX (8/22/21) — A five run first inning guided the Sioux City Explorers in a wire to wire rubber game victory over the Cleburne Railroaders, taking the series finale 10-4.
Blake Tiberi got the scoring started as the second batter into the game smacking a two run home run to put Sioux City up 2-0. Mitch Ghelfi added a two out two run double and Errol Robinson picked up his first hit and RBI as an Explorer to finish the five run rally.
The five run rally was accomplished off of Jacob Rhame (0-1) as the former big leaguer was making his Railroaders debut and first professional appearance in about two years. He allowed five runs on five hits with three walks and a couple of strikeouts.
Cleburne chipped away at the X’s lead with a run in the first on a Ramon Hernandez single and a solo homer from Noah Vaughan trimming the lead to 5-2.
Keeping Cleburne at bay was Zach Hedges (7-4) who picked up the victory. He tossed five innings allowing two runs, scattering nine hits striking out four and walking none.
The Explorers put the game away in the fifth with runners at second and third with one out, a wild pitch scored Seamus Curran and a sacrifice fly from Joseph Monge gave Sioux City a 7-2 lead. Mitch Ghelfi finished off the second X’s rally of the game with a long home run to right field pushing the advantage to 8-2.
Ghelfi finished off a strong road trip at the plate by collecting three hits in the game, all for extra bases with two doubles and a homer, and three RBI and two runs scored.
Sioux City added runs in the eighth and ninth and Cleburne got a two run eighth inning homer from Zach Nehrir to give the game its final score of 10-4.
With the win Sioux City and Cleburne end the season series tied at six wins a piece and the X’s also move a single game back of the Railroaders for the second wild card spot in the south division with thirteen games remaining for Sioux City to play.
The Explorers will be off on Monday as they return home to play the Houston Apollos on Tuesday at 7:05 pm to begin their final home stand of the 2021 regular season.