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BOX SCORE

Sioux Falls, SD-The Explorers jumped out to an early four-run lead in the first inning before the Canaries eventually won it 7-6 on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11^th Tuesday night at Sioux Falls Stadium.

Sioux City (41-48) is now 2-6 in extra-inning games this season. The Explorers are also 5-6 in the season series with Sioux Falls (30-58), and just 2-5 at the Birdcage. It was the second time the Canaries beat the X’s by that score on a walk-off homer in Sioux Falls.

The Explorers used two walks to help fuel the four-run first. A one-out double by Brock Kjeldgaard scored two of the runs. Kjeldgaard then scored on a Peter Barrows two-run home run to deep right-center field. It was Barrows 15^th dinger of the season, and his 10^th in the last 22 games. Sioux Falls answered with four of its own to tie the game in the third. Leading off, Sam Lind was hit by a pitch and later scored on a ground out to second by Brandon Jones. A.J. Kirby-Jones tied it with a three-run home run to deep left.

The Canaries took a 5-4 lead in the fifth. Chris Duffy smacked a one-out double off the wall in left-center. Two batters later, a double to right-center by Chris Valencia scored Duffy. Sioux City drew even in the sixth. Peter Barrows led off the inning with a walk. Back-to-back singles from Amos Ramon and Dillon Usiak tied the game at 5-5.

Both teams managed to push across ninth-inning runs. The Explorers reclaimed the lead on a one-out bases loaded walk of Brock Kjeldgaard. Michael Lang (pictured) scored on the play after he had led off with a single to center. Sioux Falls tied it again in the bottom of the ninth with a lead-off solo home run to deep left by A.J. Kirby-Jones. It was his second of the night and 21^st of the season.

In the 11^th, lead-off man Steve Tinoco deposited the third home run of the night for the Canaries over the right field fence for the game winner. Alan DeRatt posted the win for Sioux Falls. DeRatt (3-6) worked two innings and allowed two hits with two strikeouts and one walk. For the Explorers, Chris Bodishbaugh took the loss as he gave up two home runs. Bodishbaugh (1-4) pitched two innings and allowed two earned runs on two hits with three strikeouts. Those were the first home runs he had allowed all season.

At the plate, Michael Lang led the Sioux City attack with three base hits and a run scored. Brock Kjeldgaard went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored. Peter Barrows had two runs scored and two RBIs on the homer. For the Canaries, A.J. Kirby Jones hit two home runs and had four RBIs with two runs. Chris Valencia, Sam Lind, and Ty Forney all collected two hits. Each team had ten hits in the game, and the Explorers left 12 men stranded.  

Sioux City closes its brief two-game series at Sioux Falls Wednesday night at 7:05. The X’s have just one home series remaining this season against Gary SouthShore August 26^th-28^th. For ticket information and promotion specials at Lewis & Clark Park, call 712-277-WINS or visit the Explorers website at www.xsbaseball.com.