SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
July 30, 2023
By Austin Thomas
KANSAS CITY SALVAGES WIN AT SIOUX CITY
MONARCHS AVOID SWEEP TO EXPLORERS
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Sioux City Explorers couldn’t wake up the bats against the Kansas City Monarchs, falling 4-0 Sunday afternoon. The Monarchs had a big fourth inning, representing all the runs scored in the game despite Explorers starter Jared Wetherbee and reliever Brenden Heiss’ best efforts. Sioux City still managed to win the series after taking the first two games, but they remain in fourth place in the West Division following the loss.
The game started 47 minutes late due to a short storm prior to the game, and it took a while for the offenses to heat up as the pitchers for both teams dominated through the first three innings. Sioux City starter Jared Wetherbee, who was making his return from the Inactive List, went three perfect innings, striking out six Monarchs in the process while Kansas City starter Zach Matson started the game with three no-hit innings of his own.
The Monarchs ended the X’s perfect game in the fourth in a big way, starting with Kansas City’s Odubel Herrera reaching on an error by second baseman Kyle Kasser before Justin Wylie took a walk from Franklin Dacosta who relieved Wetherbee entering the inning. The Monarchs broke the deadlock following that when Kansas City’s Herrera came home after Chris Herrmann smoked a double to right field to make it 1-0. Monarchs Wylie came home the very next at-bat when Jan Hernandez sent a sac fly to right field, quickly extending the lead to 2-0 Kansas City. The 2-0 lead became 4-0 two batters later when Monarchs Micker Adolfo smacked a two-out, two-run bomb over the left field wall to give Kansas City firm control of the game.
The X’s finally broke up Matson’s no-hit bid in the fourth inning, thanks to Sioux City’s Tyler Rando’s leadoff double, but the Explorers continued to struggle against the righty for the rest of his appearance, not advancing a runner past first base after that. The X’s Brenden Heiss pitched stellar in relief coming in to start the fifth inning, blanking the Monarchs over his five innings of work, but his performance wasn’t enough as the Kansas City bullpen took over in the seventh inning and completed the shutout.
The Explorers will be off Monday but continue their homestand Tuesday August 1 with game one of a three game series with the second place Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. The first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. at Mercy One Field at Lewis and Clark Park. Tickets for the season can be purchased online as 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 AM with the pregame beginning 30 minutes prior to first pitch.