SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2026
EXPLORERS RALLY FOR HISTORIC 1,000TH WIN
KNOWLES AND OSUNA POWER NINTH INNING COMEBACK
By: Andrew Della Piana
LINCOLN, NE – Sioux City (26-31) made history in dramatic fashion Wednesday night, rallying with three runs in the ninth inning to defeat Lincoln (25-33) by a final score of 9-6 to become the first organization in American Association history to reach 1,000 all-time wins.
After the game, manager Steve Montgomery said, “This team has grit. They never quit. I wouldn’t want to win 1,000 games with any other group of people.”
Lincoln jumped out to an early lead in the first inning.
Peniel Otano uncorked a pair of wild pitches, with the second allowing Cam Phelts to score for a 1-0 Saltdogs advantage. Connor Bagnieski followed with an RBI groundout to bring home Jairo Pomares and extend the lead to 2-0.
The Explorers answered in the second when Jackson Van De Brake lined an RBI single to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Sioux City took its first lead in the fourth.
With the bases loaded and nobody out, Austin Davis ripped a two-run double down the left field line to put the Explorers in front 3-2. Zac Vooletich added a sacrifice fly despite a terrific leaping catch at the wall by Jairo Pomares, allowing Dillon Tatum to tag and score for a 4-2 lead.
Lincoln responded immediately in the bottom half.
Tanner O’Tremba narrowly missed a home run but settled for an RBI double that scored Connor Bagnieski to trim the lead to 4-3. Calyn Halvorson followed with a slow roller back to the mound, allowing O’Tremba to race home with the tying run. Paul Myro IV then delivered an RBI single to put the Saltdogs back in front, 5-4.
Myro IV added another RBI single in the sixth inning to extend Lincoln’s lead to 6-4.
The Explorers chipped away in the seventh when Braulio Vásquez launched a solo home run to the opposite field in right, making it 6-5.
Sioux City threatened again in the eighth after Zane Denton reached scoring position as the tying run, but Dillon Tatum and Austin Davis were retired to end the inning.
The ninth inning belonged to the Explorers. A hit-and-run single by Henry George put runners at the corners with one out before Braulio Vasquez stole second. D’Shawn Knowles tied the game with an RBI single, and moments later Alberto Osuna crushed a towering three-run home run to give Sioux City a 9-6 lead.
Sioux City finishes the three‑game series at Lincoln on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 6:05 p.m. on KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360 AM. Fans can also watch every American Association game this season on the league’s streaming platform at aabaseball.tv. Sioux City is back home for a three-game series Friday night July 24 against the Kansas City Monarchs. The first pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. Tickets for all remaining games are available now by calling the Explorers front office at 712-277-WINS or online at xsbaseball.com.
Notes from the Booth with DV:
-Austin Davis stole his 100th base and an Explorer and his league leading 42nd. He is now fourth all time in club history, just five behind Nate Samson who had 105.
-Sioux City is 7-9 in July.
-The X’s are 5-9 in their last 14 road games.
-Sioux City have hit eight home runs over their last five games and it was the second straight multi home run game for the club.
-Alberto Osuna clubbed his 11th team leading home run.
-Braulio Vasquez had his 23rd team leading multi hit game.
-Nate Gercken had two strikeouts and has 225 in his career and is eighth in club history in strikeouts.
–ABOUT THE SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS: The Sioux City Explorers are a proud member of the American Association of Professional Baseball in Sioux City, IA. The Explorers play their home games at Security National Bank Field at Lewis & Clark Park. For more information, please visit xsbaseball.com and follow the team on Twitter at @SiouxCityXs and on Facebook at facebook.com/SiouxCityExplorers.
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