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X’s Answer Every Sioux Falls Test in Victory

Sioux City, IA (July 14, 2021) – The Sioux City Explorers picked up their second consecutive win in the four game series with Sioux Falls, 7-6 on Wednesday. 

The X’s took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, hitting a home run in the bottom of the first for a third straight game, this time it was a solo blast from Jose Sermo to give the X’s the early lead. 

For Sermo it was his 18th of the season and now his 53rd as an Explorer as he is now only four home runs away from tying Nolan Lane’s team record. 

Sioux Falls plated a pair in the third as a hit batter and a double placed runners at second and third. A ground out scored the first and triple scored the second one giving the Canaries a brief 2-1 lead. However a Sebastian Zawada throw from left field negated a third run from scoring to end the inning. 

A theme of the night became the Explorers answering immediately to the Canaries rallies. In the bottom of the third the X’s scored twice to retake the lead on a Sermo RBI single and a LT Tolbert sacrifice fly to right putting Sioux City back on top 3-2. 

Another run scored in the fifth as Tolbert added another RBI with a base hit to score Chris Clare after he had doubled making it 4-2 X’s. 

The Birds fought back again though as they homered twice in the sixth inning. Cade Gotta went the other way down the right field line for his second of the year and another solo shot from Jabari Henry, his eleventh tied the game 4-4. 

But for a second time, the Explorers answered immediately. With the bases loaded and two outs, Clare reached on an infield single, the runner from second, Blake Tiberi, never stopped at third and was able to score as well to give the X’s a 6-4 lead. An error by the Sioux Falls second baseman allowed a third run in the frame to score.

Joe Riley (3-2) earned the win in a good bounce back performance as he tossed six innings, allowing four runs on five hits with five strikeouts and no walks. 

Taking the loss for Sioux Falls in relief was Connor McCord (0-1) who allowed three runs, two earned on one hit and a pair of walks in one third of an inning. 

The Canaries added a run in the eighth to give the game it’s final score 7-5. 

Sioux City pieced together the ninth inning using three arms out of the pen, ending on Danny Hrbek who collected a strikeout for his first save of the year. 

The Explorers and Canaries wrap up their four game series on Thursday at 7:05 pm, Brett Adcock (2-5, 5.36) will take the ball for Sioux City and Angel Ventura (3-5, 6.75) will oppose him for Sioux Falls.