SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2024
By Austin Thomas
LAKE COUNTRY BEATS SIOUX CITY
EXPLORERS SPLIT THE PAIR TO CLOSE OUT ROAD TRIP
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. – The Sioux City Explorers (26-30) couldn’t get the series sweep against the Lake Country DockHounds (24-33) Saturday night, falling 7-3 in a weather shortened game. Sioux City’s Daniel Perez hit a home run while Jacob Barfield went 2-3, but it wasn’t enough to propel the Explorers as Lake Country’s Marek Chlup ripped two home runs and Duncan Snider pitched three scoreless.
Both Sioux City starter Austin Drury (2-4) and Lake Country starter Duncan Snider pitched shutouts through the first three frames, although the DockHounds left the bases loaded in the first while the X’s did the same in the third.
The Explorers were the first to get on the board when Sioux City’s Daniel Perez sent a solo shot to center field off Lake Country reliever Braden Boisvert (1-0), giving the X’s a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth.
The DockHounds responded quickly, putting up two runs on a dinger from Lake Country’s Marek Chlup off Sioux City’s Drury with Demetrius Sims on base, giving the ‘Hounds a 2-1 advantage. The DockHounds added again in the frame when Lake Country’s Thomas Jones doubled before Blake Tiberi sent him home with his own double, making it a 3-1 game. They kept the big inning going the next at-bat when Lake Country’s Justin Connell picked up an RBI single off Sioux City’s Drury, waving around Tiberi and extending the ‘Hounds lead to 4-1.
In the top of the fifth, the X’s retaliated when Sioux City’s Scott Ota doubled off Lake Country’s Boisvert, sending home John Nogowski and cutting the Explorers’ deficit to 4-2. That quickly became 4-3 as the next plate appearance, Sioux City’s Cameron Cannon drove in Ota with an RBI single.
Sioux City’s Pedro Gonzalez relieved Drury to begin the fifth, pitching a perfect fifth inning, but the DockHounds came back in the sixth. With two outs in the frame, Lake Country’s Josh Altmann ripped a two-RBI double off Gonzalez, sending home Connell and Deivy Grullon and making it 6-3. Sioux City’s Nate Gercken relieved Gonzalez after a walk to Ryan Hernandez, and following a walk to load the bases, Gercken got out of the frame without further damage.
Lake’s Country’s Marek Chlup led off the bottom of the seventh with a bang, smashing his second home run of the game off Sioux City’s Santiago Florez and extending the DockHounds lead to 7-3.
In the top of the eighth, rain took over Wisconsin Brewing Company Park, and after a delay, the game was called, finishing the game with the loss, 7-3.
The Explorers will be off Sunday July 14 and Monday July 15 before opening a three-game series with the Winnipeg Goldeyes Tuesday July 16. The first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. For more information or for media requests, please feel free to reach out at 817-739-3693. 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.
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