RAILCATS SHUTDOWN X’S TO EVEN SERIES
X’s Bats and Patrick Ledet Roll to Series Opening Win
Sioux City, IA (July 31, 2021) – The Gary SouthShore RailCats kept the Sioux City Explorers offense in check en route to a 4-1 win to force a rubber game to decide the series.
The X’s actually struck first in the ball game. Using a Chris Clare lead off single and a stolen base to set up LT Tolbert with a RBI single to give Sioux City a 1-0 lead.
However that is all that the Explorers would score in the ball game as they were shut out for the eight remaining innings. They collected two hits in both the first and second but then collected at the most a single hit in any other inning.
Michael Lang in his return to the Explorers lineup notched a hit, his first one since June 10th.
Shutting down the Sioux City offense for most of the way was RailCats starter Josh Vincent (2-2) who earned the win and quality start allowing just one run in six innings scattering seven hits while walking two and striking out three.
The RailCats took the lead in the fourth when Jackson Smith blooped a single to right-center field with two outs in the inning and runners at second and third to go ahead 2-1.
In the sixth, Gary added another run when they pulled off a double steal with two outs in the inning with runners at the corners as Sioux City’s throw to the plate to try and cut down Thomas Walraven sailed high allowing him to score.
Another Smith RBI on a sac fly to center field gave the Cats a 4-1 lead that they would hold on to.
Nick Garcia took his fourth save of the year as he shut down the final two frames of the ballgame, striking out one.
The X’s and RailCats will meet on Sunday afternoon for the rubber game of their three game series. Brett Adcock (2-7, 5.13) will take the ball for Sioux City and Gary will counter with right hander John Sheaks (0-3, 7.30) with first pitch scheduled for 4:05 pm.