712.277.WINS (9467)

BOX SCORE

Sioux City, IA-The Explorers gave their home fans one final send-off with a rousing 6-1 victory over Gary SouthShore Thursday night at Lewis & Clark Park.

Sioux City (46-50) took two of three and claimed the season series with the RailCats, winning 10 of the 17 meetings. Gary (51-45) remained tied for first in the Central Division as Lincoln lost at Sioux Falls. The Explorers closed out the 2014 home schedule with a record of 21-29.

The X’s started the scoring with a two-run fourth. Rene Tosoni led off the inning with a double into the gap in right-center. Brock Kjeldgaard and Peter Barrows reached on back-to-back walks to load the bases. Tom Mendonca then singled up the first base line to score Tosoni from third. The batted ball ricocheted off the first-base umpire and was initially ruled a foul ball. After much discussion, the call was reversed to give Mendonca the base hit and a 1-0 lead. The second run scored as Amos Ramon grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

After a single X’s run in the fifth made it 3-0, Gary plated its lone tally of the night in the seventh. Wally Backman had an RBI single that drove in Ryan Babineau. Babineau reached earlier on a one-out walk. Sioux City went on the attack again in the bottom of the seventh. Michael Lang (pictured) and Oscar Mesa led off the inning with back-to-back walks. Tim Colwell moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt. Rene Tosoni then smacked his second double of the night and scored both Lang and Mesa for a 5-1 cushion. Tosoni later scored the game’s final run on a sacrifice fly from Tom Mendonca.

On the mound, Lars Liguori picked up the win for the Explorers. Liguori (2-4) matched his longest outing of the season as he worked six-and-two-thirds with one unearned run on three hits. He struck out two and walked five. Nick McCully took the loss for Gary. McCully (1-3) went five innings and gave up three earned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and four walks. Alex Burnett posted his second save of the series and the season. Burnett pitched two-and-a-third and allowed just two hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

The X’s outhit Gary 11-5. Rene Tosoni went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs, and two RBIs. Tom Mendonca finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Michael Lang was perfect at the plate, going 2-for-2 with two singles, a walk, and a hit batter. Lang also scored twice. For the RailCats, Josh Romanski collected two of the team’s five hits.  

Sioux City closes out the season with four games at Lincoln. The two teams play a day/night doubleheader to start the series Friday at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. For 2015 ticket information and promotion specials at Lewis & Clark Park, call 712-277-WINS or visit the Explorers website at www.xsbaseball.com.