712.277.WINS (9467)

BOX SCORE

Sioux City, IA-A day after stranding 14 base runners in Sioux Falls, the Explorers broke out of an offensive funk to beat the Canaries 10-2 in the home opener at Lewis & Clark Park.

The X’s (1-2) scored first for the first time in the series. The bottom of the first began with a lead-off walk to Michael Lang. Rene Tosoni then singled to right on a hard line drive. After a groundout, Mark Sobolewski broke an 0-for-9 slump with a single to left that drove in Lang. The next batter, Tommy Mendonca, singled to right to score Tosoni for a 2-0 Sioux City lead after one.

The Peter Barrows (pictured) show then took flight and added to the lead in the second inning. Barrows led off with a home run to deep left center field for a 3-0 X’s cushion. After Sioux Falls (2-1) plated its first run of the game in the top of the third, Barrows went to work again in the bottom half of the inning. The first two batters, Andres Perez and Mark Sobolewski, both reached on singles. Barrows followed a strikeout and a fly out with his second homer of the night. His two-out, three-run dinger to left made it 6-1 after three.

Sioux City fashioned another three-run inning in the fifth to lead 9-2. In the eighth, Sobolewski drove in Perez on a smash to the left center field wall for the game’s final margin. Barrows finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Perez had a three hit night. Lang and Tosoni each had two hits as well. Sobolewski went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.

Former North Dakota State standout John Straka picked up his first win on the mound. Straka (1-0) worked eight innings and gave up two runs (both earned) on seven base hits. He struck out five and walked none. Canaries’ starter Kyle Ruwe took the loss. Ruwe (0-1) gave up nine runs (all earned) on 12 hits including the two home runs. He struck out just two and walked three. Ruwe had beaten the X’s all four times he faced them last season. Sioux City newcomer Alex Pagano came on in relief and finished the game in the ninth. With the win, the Explorers are now 12-10 all time in home openers at Lewis & Clark Park.

The series with the Canaries heads back up to Sioux Falls for the fourth and final game Sunday afternoon at 4:05. The X’s first extended home stand starts Monday night against St. Paul and continues through Sunday. For ticket information, call 712-277-WINS or visit the Explorers website at www.xsbaseball.com.