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X’s Can’t Finish Sweep Still Take Two of Three

Kansas City, KS (May 15th, 2021) — The Monarchs scored eight times in their final three at-bats of the game to stave off the sweep attempt by the Sioux City Explorers as Kansas City won the series finale 10-3. 

Kansas City took a second inning lead off of Matt Adams’ first home run as a Monarch. They padded the lead with a David Thompson RBI single to go up 2-0. 

Just like Saturday, the X’s immediately responded with a rally in the top of the third. A Mitch Ghelfi double following a Chase Harris lead off walk scored the speedster from first. Ghelfi came around to score on a Nick Franklin double. Franklin ended the series with 4 RBI. Nate Samson drove Franklin in to take a 3-2 lead with a two out single. 

The three runs were all the damage Sioux City could do against Monarchs starter Lewis Thorpe who went fourth and two-thirds, allowing the three runs on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Thorpe did not factor into the decision. 

And neither did Explorer starter Carlos Sierra. Making his return to the X’s rotation for the first time since 2019, Sierra tossed five and two-thirds, allowed three runs on five hits with two punch outs and no walks. 

The game remained a 3-2 way until the sixth until Kansas City tied it on a Jan Hernandez single. 

In the seventh, Kansas City took the lead with a pair of runs, from a Darnell Sweeney single and a Pete Kozma double to go ahead 5-3. 

The flood gates opened in the eighth with the Monarchs plating five runs on three walks, three doubles and a sacrifice fly. 

Through the first 23 innings of the series Kansas City managed to score a total of four runs. Over the final three innings of Sunday’s game the Monarchs plated eight.

Sioux City has the day off on Monday before opening up their home schedule on Tuesday night at 7:05 pm with the newest member of the American Association coming to town, the Lake Country Dockhounds. Slated to take the bump for the X’s home opener is southpaw Patrick Ledet. 

The Sioux City Explorers 30th year in Siouxland will begin at MercyOne Field at Lewis and Clark Park on May 17th versus the Lake Country DockHounds. Season, Group and Single Game Tickets are now all on sale and can be purchased by calling (712) 277-9467.