SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
July 9, 2023
By Austin Thomas
EXPLORERS WALK OFF CLEBURNE
SIOUX CITY EXTENDS WIN STREAK TO SEVEN
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Vince Fernandez knocked in the game-winning run in walk-off style for the Sioux City Explorers (28-25) Sunday night, claiming the 8-7 victory and the series sweep over the Cleburne Railroaders (27-27). It was the Explorers seventh consecutive win and eighth straight win at home to close out their homestand undefeated. The X’s are now tied with Lincoln for third in the West Division and closed the gap between them and second place Fargo-Moorhead to half a game.
The game began with Cleburne taking the early lead when Railroaders Zach Nehrir belted a three-run bomb off Sioux City starter Austin Drury with Blaze Brothers and Brian Klein on base, making it 3-0 Cleburne.
In the second inning, however, Explorers Tyler Rando answered, coming around to score after Miguel Sierra ripped a one-out triple off Railroaders starter Kevin Hilton, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
The X’s inches closer in the third inning when Sioux City’s Matt Lloyd and Vince Fernandez crossed home plate following a Tyler Rando single off Cleburne’s Hilton, knotting it up 3-3.
The Explorers built up a big lead in the fourth, starting with X’s Miguel Sierra scoring on Daniel Perez’s RBI fielder’s choice off Railroaders Hilton, giving Sioux City the 4-3 lead. Explorers Daniel Perez then came around to score on a Chase Harris single, making it 5-3 X’s. Sioux City’s Sanford scored following a Matt Lloyd ground out before Harris made his way home on a wild pitch from Hilton, extending the Explorers lead 7-3.
The Railroaders rallied in the fifth inning, starting with Zach Nehrir’s scoring on a Mark Karaviotis RBI double off X’s Drury, making it 7-4. Railroaders Karaviotis then scored when Guillermo Quintana ripped a two-out single, making it 7-5.
In the sixth, Cleburne’s Brothers scored when Klein smacked an RBI triple off Sioux City reliever Francys Peguero, cutting the lead to 7-6. The Railroaders came all the way back as Cleburne’s Klein crossed home on a sac fly from Nehrir, tying it 7-7.
After two scoreless innings, after a Jake Sanford single, X’s Vince Fernandez stepped up to the plate with one out and Delvin Zinn, a pinch runner for Jake Sanford, on third. Fernandez put down a bunt down the first base line off Railroaders reliever Nick Gardewine (2-1), scoring Zinn and giving the Explorers the walk-off victory for the series sweep.
The Explorers hit the road for a six game road trip prior to the American Association All-Star break. Sioux City will face the Lake Country DockHounds Monday night July 10 in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin with a first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. Tickets for the season can be purchased online at XSBaseball.com, in person at the Lewis and Clark Park Box Office or by calling 712-277-WINS. You can catch all the X’s action on aabaseball.tv and on radio at KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360.