712.277.WINS (9467)

The Sioux City Explorers plated four runs in the first inning and never looked back winning with a score of 8-3 on Father’s Day at Sioux Falls Stadium. 

In the first, Michael Lang reached base safely on error error by the shortstop to start the inning. He then scored the first run off the ball-game off an RBI double by Rene Tosoni. With a runner in scoring position and one out, Brock Kjeldgaard scored runs two and three of the inning on a two-run dinger to extend the X’s lead. Sioux City would plate one more run in the inning to make it 4-0 on a single by Matt Koch that scored Noah Perio Jr from third base. 

Neither team scored in innings two or three, but in the fourth that would change. X’s centerfielder Matty Johnson led-off the top half with a double, advanced to third on a tag-up fly-out to right-field by Michael Lang, and then scored on a 4-3 groundout by Rene Tosoni to make it 5-0 Explorers. 

In the bottom half of the sixth, Canaries lead-off hitter reached base with a one out single, advanced to second off an error by the second-baseman, and then crossed home plate to cut the lead to 5-1 when Brian Humphries singled on an 0-1 pitch. 

Explorers second-baseman Ryan Court led-off the eighth with a walk to start the top half of the inning. Court would then steal second and later score the sixth run of the game for Sioux City off a one out error by Canaries third baseman RJ Perucki. In the bottom half, a David Bergin RBI single would plate a run of their own in the eighth. 

Sioux City put up two more runs in the ninth inning when Kjeldgaard singled to score a run, and Tosoni crossed home off a sac-fly RBI by Ryan Court. Explorers would finish with eight runs on fourteen hits. Canaries would score a run in the ninth as well to make it 8-3 which would wind up being the final score of the ball-game.

Ryan Zimmerman (4-1) would get the win for Sioux City going a solid seven innings pitched, allowing two runs (one earned), four walks and striking out seven. Eric Wordekemper and Billy Bullock would pitch in relief for the X’s in the eighth and ninth innings.

Left-hander Miguel Pena would be charged with the loss for Sioux Falls, allowing five runs and eleven hits in six innings pitched. Lefty Josh Ferrell and righty Chase Johnson would come out of the bullpen in the later innings.

Big hitters for Sioux City were Rene Tosoni and Brock Kjeldgaard. Tosoni had himself a three hit, two run, two RBI night, and Brock Kjeldgaard went 2 for 5 with a run, three RBIs and a home run.

The Explorers will start a three game series with the St. Paul Saints at the new CHS field on Monday (June 22nd). For 2015 ticket information at Lewis and Clark Park, call (712) 277-WINS or visit the X’s website at www.xsbaseball.com