SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2024
By Dan Vaughan Jr.
MILKMEN CRUISE IN OPENER
EXPLORERS EARLY ADVANTAGE NOT ENOUGH
Franklin, Wis.– The Sioux City Explorers (18-23) got off to a hot start on Friday night against the Milwaukee Milkmen (24-19), taking a 2-0 lead after one inning. Former Explorer Jose Sermo launched a grand slam in the home half of the second on the way to a two home run six RBI night to help Milwaukee erase that deficit and cruise to an 18-8 win at Franklin Field.
Scott Ota and John Nogowski each picked up RBI hits in the top of the first off Milkmen starter Sebastian Rodriguez (3-2) to take a 2-0 lead. Austin Drury (1-3) executed a shutdown inning in the bottom of the inning, and the night was off to a solid start for Sioux City. The Explorers would pick up a one-out single in the second but would not score heading to the bottom of the second.
Milwaukee would send 11 batters to the plate against Drury to turn the game in their favor. Drury allowed Erik Ostberg to reach via a free pass then surrendered a single to Jaylin Davis to put runners at first and second. The lefty then forced a fielder’s choice off the bat of Chase Estep, retiring Ostberg at third for the first out of the inning. Oscar Santos then doubled to cut the lead to 2-1 with Davis coming home for Milwaukee. Drury then hit Armani Smith with a pitch to load the bases. The number nine batter Reggie Pruitt Jr. walked with the bases loaded to tie the game; then two plays back-to-back led to two more runs.
Wendell Marrero hit a ball behind second that shortstop Nick Shumpert fielded but was late forcing the runner out at second, scoring a run and giving Milwaukee the lead 3-2. Trey Law then hit a comebacker to the mound that Drury fielded, but the throw was bounced to second to allow another run to score and to keep the bases loaded with a 4-2 score. Then Sermo lined his first homer of the night down the left field line to make it 8-2 in favor of the Milkmen.
Sioux City did crawl back in the game in the top of the third with Shumpert and Nogowski both reaching on singles off Rodriguez. Daniel Montano drove in Shumpert with an RBI single then Ozzie Martinez hit a two-run home run to pull the X’s to within two at 8-6.
Drury held Milwaukee scoreless in the bottom of the third, but Rodriguez followed up with a scoreless top of the fourth for the Milkmen. In the bottom of the fourth Milwaukee would score six more runs to firmly take control of the contest. Marrero was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Marrero would steal second, but Drury retired Law on a ground ball to second, moving Marrero to third base. Sermo then hit his second long ball —this time a towering blast to the left of the batters’ eye in center—to make it 10-6 Milwaukee. Ostberg would single and Davis would walk to put two on for Estep who would drive in Ostberg with an RBI single and chase Drury from the game. John Sheaks would get the second out, but Smith would single, driving in two more, and Pruitt would double to give Milwaukee a 14-6 lead.
The Milkmen poured two more runs on in the fifth with a two-RBI double from Estep off Sheaks and then two more runs in the seventh on a Estep RBI triple, and a Santos RBI double to increase the lead to 18-6. Sioux City would score two in the ninth inning off reliever Eury Rosado highlighted by an RBI double from Chase Harris to cut the lead to the final score of 18-8.
The Explorers will play game two of the four game series against the Milwaukee Milkmen Saturday night June 29 at Franklin Field in Franklin, Wisconsin with a first pitch set for 6:00 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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