SIOUX CITY, Iowa—The Gary SouthShore RailCats (15–37) spoiled the Sioux City Explorers’ (33–20) bid for a series sweep, pulling out a gritty 5–4 win in 10 innings at Lewis and Clark Park. In a game filled with momentum swings and missed chances, the RailCats capitalized late to hand Sioux City a rare extra-inning loss.
Despite going for their third sweep of the season, the Explorers found themselves on the wrong side of a 1-0 score in the first inning for the second consecutive contest. Sioux City starter Austin Drury navigated around dangerous speedster and Gary leadoff hitter Jairus Richards, but he did load the bases in the first.
The left-hander native fell behind Jake Guenther 3-0, battled back to run the count full, but his payoff pitch missed outside for ball four, walking in a run. However, Drury did not have to wait long to pitch with a lead.
Henry George initiated the rally, smoking a one-out single up the middle for Sioux City’s first hit. RailCat starter Jonathan Martinez plunked the next batter, Zac Vooletich, setting the table with two aboard and one out.
A batter later, Osvaldo Tovalin rolled a grounder to Joe Suozzi at first base, who fired to second, attempting to turn the double play. It was a low throw, and shortstop Elvis Peralta could not corral the baseball. The ball skittered away, allowing George to score and tie the game.
Later in the inning with runners at the corners, Tovalin took off for second. Cooper Edwards nailed him on the steal attempt, but Vooletich crossed the plate as Sioux City took over the lead for good. The Explorers tacked on two more runs in the third inning, widening their lead to 4–1.
The RailCats manufactured a run in the sixth inning, but Austin Drury retired the side after that, notching his sixth quality start of the season. Nate Gercken took over in the seventh but only faced two batters before manager Steve Montgomery turned to Chase Jessee.
Jairus Richards strolled to the plate in a lefty-lefty matchup and smacked a double down the right field line, stationing runners at second and third with just one out. Jessee, who lives for the high leverage situations, fanned the next two batters, slamming the door on the RailCats.
LG Castillo led off the following frame for Gary SouthShore and just missed his fifth home run of the season, blasting a double off the wall to open the inning. The subsequent hitter, Olivier Basabe, laid a bunt down the third base line. Jessee hopped off the rubber, snagged the baseball, and sent it sailing down the right field line, allowing Castillo to score and bring the game within one.
That run marked the first time Chase Jesse surrendered an earned run since he gave up two against the Lake Country DockHounds on June 6th. Felix Cepeda replaced Jessee with one out in the inning, but permitted a sacrifice fly to Ernny Ordoñez, evening the score at four.
Cepeda stayed on for the ninth inning and loaded the bases. The Dominican flamethrower persevered, inducing a flyout to center from Guenther to escape the jam and keep Sioux City’s hopes alive for a second straight walk-off win. Unfortunately, the X’s failed to do anything in the ninth against Nate Alexander (3-6), as the game moved into extra innings.
The RailCats picked up a run in the top half of the tenth inning off Jaren Jackson (1-1) as they manufactured Guenther, the zombie runner at second base, over to third on a sacrifice bunt before bringing him home on a sacrifice fly. Left-hander Cody Reed came on for the visitors in the bottom half of the frame, seeking to rectify his blown save from the night before.
The Explorers would load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning, but the former Major Leaguer struck out Torin Montgomery to finish off the series as the RailCats salvaged the finale. Sioux City heads into the three-game series against the Kansas City Monarchs tied atop the West Division standings.
The Explorers have off on Monday before heading on the road for three straight series. The team starts in Kansas City on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. Ticket packages for the 2025 season are on sale now, including Full and Half-Season Tickets as well as 10-, 15-, and 25-game Flex Packs. For more information, please call the Explorers front office at 712-277-WINS. Stay tuned to the Explorers’ social media channels and the club’s website, xsbaseball.com, for all our news and updates.