SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 15, 2025
By John Colavita
GOLDEYES LAND SERIES OPENING WIN
EARLY DEFICIT TOO MUCH TO DIG OUT FROM FOR EXPLORERS
SIOUX CITY, Iowa—On a night where both teams had long overnight travel, it was the team that traveled the furthest that looked rested Friday night at Lewis and Clark Park. The Winnipeg Goldeyes (37-47) scored one in the first and three in the second to race to an early 4-0 lead over the Sioux City Explorers (54-31) on the way to an 8-3 victory. What unfolded was a test of resilience with momentum swings on both sides that kept the crowd on edge until the late innings.
Peniel Otaño’s (1-7) first-inning struggles continued as Jacob Robson beat the right-hander in a foot race to first to lead off the game. Robson headed to second on a wild pitch, and Ramon Bramasco’s single sent him home. The run marked the 17th that Otaño has allowed in 12 starts in the first inning.
The lead doubled in the second when Matthew Warkentin demolished Otaño’s 2-1 offering well over the wall in left for his 13th big fly of the season. Winnipeg kept the pressure on as Bramasco lined a two-run single into left as the lead extended to 4-0.
D’Shawn Knowles doubled down the left-field line to open the bottom of the second. He swiped third on the next pitch, and Josh Day took his free pass, putting runners at the corners with none out for Maikol Escotto.
The former Pirates farmhand rolled over to third base on what should have been an RBI groundout. Bramasco backhanded the baseball in foul territory and fired a strike to the plate, nailing Knowles to keep the X’s off the board. Torin Montgomery grounded into a double play to end a once-promising inning.
Winnipeg had stretched its lead to 5-0 before the Explorers finally found their way on the scoreboard. The X’s plated runs in the fourth and sixth innings via RBI singles from Day and Henry George, but Ben Kowalski (2-0) proved his effectiveness after appearing in his first game for the Goldeyes since May 20th.
The Explorers started to chip away once they got past the starter. George’s single to right brought home Austin Davis in the sixth, and Day crushed a solo shot out to left, bringing the score to 6-3.
Just when Sioux City found life, the bullpen deflated the momentum. Jeremy Goins worked a scoreless seventh, but loaded the bases with one out in the eighth. Right-hander Ryan Beaird made his Sioux City debut in relief of Goins. He sent Max Murphy down on strikes, but Miles Simington broke the game open, with a single to right field to drive in two runs and pull away in the game.
The Goldeyes never looked back after Simington’s knockout blow, carrying their 8-3 cushion into the ninth where the bullpen sealed the win. Sioux City’s late sparks weren’t enough to overcome the early hole, as Winnipeg closed out a convincing road victory.
The Explorers and Goldeyes play game two of the three game series Saturday night August 16 at Lewis and Clark Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. and the gates will open at 5:00 p.m. The game can be heard on radio at KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360 AM and the video stream will air on aabaseball.tv. Tickets for all Explorers home games are available at the ticket office or going online at xsbaseball.com. For more information, please call the Explorers’ front office at 712-277-WINS. Stay tuned to the Explorers’ social media channels and the club’s website, xsbaseball.com, for all our news and updates.
Notes from the Booth with DV:
-Winnipeg now leads the season series 4-3.
-Peniel Otaño allowed his 17th first inning run in his 12th start.
-Austin Davis stole his 47th base of the season. He is now third all-time single season for the X’s.
-Davis now trails Jarius Richards of Gary SouthShore by three bases for the league lead.
-Austin Davis had his 20th multi hit game and his 15th two hit game and his second in a row.
-The X’s have 224 stolen bases for the season.
-Sioux City now has a magic number of 12 for the West Division crown.
-The X’s have homered in three straight games.
TUNE INTO ALL THE EXPLORERS ACTION ON KSCJ AND AABASEBALL.TV