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Rifaela Walks Off Monarchs to Win Rubber Game

By: Will Glocker

Sioux City, Iowa (August, 10th, 2022) - Ademar Rifaela hit a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Sioux City Explorers beat the Kansas City Monarchs 5-2 to take the rubber game of the series.

The first five innings were a scoreless pitchers duel between Patrick Ledet and Nick Belzer. But the Kansas City Monarchs plated the first run. 

It came in the sixth when Kevin Santa reached on an error to lead off the inning. A triple by Jacob Robson scored Santa. David Thompson singled home Robson and the Monarchs took a 2-0 lead.

Nick Belzer, for the Monarchs, threw six scoreless innings but received a no decision. The former Explorer gave up four hits, four walks and struck out seven.

In the seventh the Explorers cut the Monarch lead in half. Jack Kelly reached on a three base error and scored when Danny Amaral reached on another error to make it 2-1.

Explorers starter, Patrick Ledet, pitched seven innings and gave up two runs, one earned. The lefty allowed eight hits and one walk and struck out three.

In the bottom of the ninth trailing by a run, Danny Amaral reached on a one out single. He scored to tie the game on a Danry Vasquez base hit to left field. After a strikeout and with two outs in the inning Ademar Rifaela blasted a three-run walk-off homer over the right field wall to give the X’s another comeback win. 

With the win Sioux City takes the rubber game of the series from Kansas City and wins the season series from the Monarchs 7-5. 

After an off day on Thursday the Explorers will head to Winnipeg for a three game series at Shaw Park beginning on Friday at 6:30 pm.