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X’s Draw Twelve Walks in Win over Winnipeg

Winnipeg, MB (July 9th, 2022) - The Sioux City Explorers drew a season high twelve walks and clubbed three homers on their way to a convincing 11-4 win over the Winnipeg Goldeyes. 

Sioux City led wire to wire in the contest in part to a two-run first inning homer by Tyler Rando. The blast over the left field wall was the first of his professional career. 

The X’s added a run in the second on a ground out by Patrick Ledet to go up 3-0. Ledet, who was the starting pitcher the previous day, got the start in left field due to a limited roster available in Canada. 

The Goldeyes pulled close in the third, smacking three doubles in the inning. Hidekel Gonzalez led off the frame with a double and scored on Reggie Pruitt’s double, Pruitt scored on the next pitch on a Ian Sagdal two-bagger to pull the X’s lead down to one, 3-2. 

Sioux City countered in the next half inning with a two out walk and a Shane Podsednik two run home run to expand the lead back to three, 5-2. 

The two runs is all Winnipeg would muster against Sioux City starter Tom Windle (3-2) who picked up the victory. He went six and two-thirds allowing two runs on six hits, walked only one and tied a season high with eight strikeouts. 

In the sixth, Sioux City padded their lead by walking to load the bases with two outs. Ledet then walked to bring home a run and make it 6-2 Explorers. Ledet finished the night with two RBI and two hits. 

RJ Martinez (4-4) was given the loss as he allowed six runs on three hits through five and two-thirds innings, he walked six and struck out four. 

A wild pitch and a two-out, two-run single in the eighth blew the game open for Sioux City. Michael Lang, who came out of retirement for the weekend series in Winnipeg added to his Sioux City career franchise record hit total with the single in the eighth putting the X’s up 9-2. 

Winnipeg scored two runs in the bottom half of the eighth on a pass ball and a RBI single from Max Murphy. Murphy then pitched the ninth for Winnipeg and served up a home run to Podsednik who had his first career multi-homer game to cap off the scoring for Sioux City at 11-4. 

In the win the X’s gained a season high twelve walks as every member of the starting lineup reached base in the contest. 

Sioux City and Winnipeg will meet on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm for the rubber game of the series. Right hander Zach Hedges (0-3, 5.24) lines up for the start for Sioux City and righty Luis Ramirez (5-2, 4.08) gets the ball for the Goldeyes.