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BOX SCORE

Sioux City, IA-The Explorers scored first for the first time in their four-game series with Amarillo, but dropped the finale Sunday night 6-4 at Lewis & Clark Park.

The Sox (5-5) took the final three games of the series from Sioux City (3-8). The Explorers started the game in fine form with a run in the bottom of the first. Leading off, Rene Tosoni struck out but reached first on a passed ball. The very next batter, Michael Lang, doubled into the right field corner to drive in Tosoni. Lang was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.

Amarillo tied the game in the top of the second. Jeremy Williams led off with a double to right-center. Following a walk and a strikeout, Kevin Mahoney singled to left to score Williams. The tie was short-lived, though, as Sioux City answered with a run in the bottom of the second for a 2-1 advantage. Nate Samson walked to lead off the inning. Luke Murton singled on a line drive to center. Samson then scored as Amarillo turned a double play off the bat of Mark Sobolewski.

The seesaw affair shifted in favor of Amarillo in the third. The Sox led off the inning with a Cory Morales’ single to right. Josh Miller and Cory Patton followed with singles of their own. After a force out at home, Keith Brachold grounded out to first to drive in Miller and tie it at 2-2. Jason Martin then hit a ground ball to short that resulted in an error for a 3-2 Sox lead.

Sioux City responded with two big swings in the sixth. Luke Murton led off the inning with a home run blast to left-center that nicked the top of the wall for his second of the season. Two outs later, Dillon Uziak belted his first home run over the right field fence to give the Explorers a 4-3 lead.

Amarillo’s Cory Patton continued to be a difference-maker in the very next inning. Charlie Mirabel led off the seventh with a walk. After a ground out, Josh Miller singled to right on a hit-and-run that put runners at the corners. The left-handed hitting Patton then socked his third home run of the season deep to right off X’s lefty reliever Kenny Long for the game’s final score.

In relief, Matt Larkins picked up the win for Amarillo. Larkins (1-1) only faced two batters and gave up an infield single but then induced a fly out in the sixth. Greg Holt took the loss for Sioux City. Holt (0-3) went six-and-a-third and allowed five earned runs on eight hits. He struck out four and walked two. Celson Polanco worked the ninth for the Sox and posted his first save of the season with two strikeouts.

In the top three lineup spots for Amarillo, Corey Morales, Josh Miller, and Cory Patton went a combined 6-for-13 with four runs scored and three RBIs. Michael Lang, Luke Murton, and Dillon Uziak all collected two hits for Sioux City. Nate Samson stretched his hitting streak to the first 11 games with a single to left-center.

The Explorers went 1-6 on the first extended home stand of the season at Lewis & Clark Park. After a seven-game road trip to Winnipeg and Fargo-Moorhead, Sioux City returns home June 2^nd against Gary SouthShore. For ticket information and promotion specials, call 712-277-WINS or visit the Explorers website at www.xsbaseball.com.