SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2026
EXPLORERS WIN THIRD STRAIGHT
SECOND EXTRA INNING WALK-OFF IN THREE DAYS
By: Andrew Della Piana
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Sioux City (23-27) won a third consecutive game for the first time this season, completing a dramatic comeback with its second walk-off victory in three days, defeating Lincoln (24-27) by a final score of 9-8 in 11 innings Friday night.
“We found a way, dug in, total team effort,” Explorers manager Steve Montgomery added. “Executed again and again in extra innings.”
Pitching dominated early as Lincoln’s Foster Pace and Sioux City’s Zach Willeman combined to allow just seven baserunners through the first three innings.
Lincoln struck first in the fourth.
A walk and two hit batters loaded the bases before Calyn Halvorson and Cael Chatham delivered back-to-back sacrifice flies for a 2-0 Saltdogs lead.
Sioux City answered in the fifth when D’Shawn Knowles led off the inning with a solo home run for his second homer in the last three days to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Saltdogs appeared to seize control in the seventh.
Griffin Everitt opened the inning with a double before Cam Phelts singled him to third. Jake Hjelle, who drove in four runs in Thursday’s win over Gary SouthShore, delivered a two-run double to left to extend the lead to 4-1.
Jairo Pomares followed with an RBI single to make it 5-1, ending Willeman’s night, and Tanner O’Tremba added another RBI single to stretch Lincoln’s advantage to 6-1.
The X’s responded immediately in the bottom half.
Harold Cortijo walked the bases loaded before Cade Marquardt collected his third hit of the game, a two-run double that made it 6-3. Austin Davis followed with an RBI groundout to second, and Zac Vooletich lined a single up the middle to score Marquardt, trimming the deficit to 6-5.
Sioux City completed the comeback in the ninth.
Davis reached on an error by second baseman Calyn Halvorson before Henry George singled to move him to third. Vooletich then lifted a sacrifice fly into foul territory, allowing Davis to score the tying run and forcing extra innings.
It marked Sioux City’s second extra-inning game in three days after the X’s went their first 47 games of the season without playing beyond nine innings.
Lincoln regained the lead in the 10th when automatic runner Cary Arbolida advanced to third on a flyout before Halvorson’s sacrifice fly to right made it 7-6.
The Explorers answered right back.
Automatic runner D’Shawn Knowles advanced home on Elliot Good’s bunt and a wild pitch by Zac McCleve, tying the game at 7-7. McCleve retired the next three hitters to strand Good at second.
The Saltdogs took another one-run lead in the 11th as former Explorer Nick Shumpert delivered an RBI single to make it 8-7.
Sioux City had one final response.
Marquardt began the bottom of the 11th as the automatic runner at second and advanced to third on Austin Davis’ sacrifice bunt.
After Henry George was intentionally walked and Zac Vooletich was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Braulio Vasquez lined a two-run single to left field, scoring Marquardt and George to complete the 9-8 walk-off victory.
Sioux City continues its three-game series against Lincoln on Saturday. First pitch for game two is at 6:05 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 5:35 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. 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:
-D’Shawn Knowles has 10 stolen bases in just 15 games after two more swiped in Friday night.
-The X’s are 10-6 when scoring five or more runs.
-Sioux City won a one run game for just the fourth time this year.
-The X’s have won both extra inning games they have played.
-Austin Davis extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
-The Explorers are 5-3 against Lincoln this season.
–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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