712.277.WINS (9467)

X’S PITCHING SHUTSOUT RAILCATS IN WIN

Gary, IN - After being shut out by the RailCats just the night before the Sioux City Explorers decided to return the favor on Wednesday night with a 2-0 shut out victory to even the three game series. 

The Explorers were lead in this one by Jason Garcia (2-0) who pitched a scoreless five and a third innings, while allowing just five hits and striking out one. He ran into some trouble in the first inning loading the bases with only one out but was able to escape any possible damage by retiring the last two batters keeping the game scoreless. At one point Garcia retired nine straight RailCats. He has now tossed twelve total innings this season for Sioux City and has only surrendered a single run. 

The Explorers did all of their damage on offense in the fourth inning on one swing of the bat. After Nate Samson walked to lead off the inning usual home run suspects Jose Sermo and Dean Green were unable to drive Samson in. Instead it fell to Luke Bonfield who launched a no doubt blast to left field for the first home run of his professional career. The homer made it 2-0 Explorers and all the runs they would need in this one. 

The home run came off of RailCats starter Christian DeLeon (0-2) and was really the only mistake he made in his outing. DeLeon took the tough luck loss after going five innings, allowing the two runs on just four hits and striking out two. 

Tyler Fallwell replaced Jason Garcia in the sixth inning and again kept the RailCats off the scoreboard. He tossed two and two-thirds scoreless innings allowing only two baserunners on a hit and a walk while punching out three, 

Fallwell was able to bridge the gap to the X’s closer Matt Pobereyko (2) who slammed the door shut on Gary squashing any sort of thoughts of a ninth inning comeback. He made quick work of the RailCats in the ninth striking out two in a perfect inning gaining his second save of the season. 

The Explorers and RailCats will play the rubber game of the series on Thursday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 pm with Zach Jemiola (0-1) on the mound for Sioux City facing southpaw Trevor Lubking (1-0) for the RailCats.