SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2024
By Dan Vaughan Jr.
REDHAWKS ESCAPE WITH UPPER HAND
SIOUX CITY FACES ELIMINATION FRIDAY
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – It looked like it was going to be a good night at the plate when John Nogowski blasted a solo home run off Orlando Rodriguez deep to center in the first inning for a 1-0 lead, but that was the only offense the X’s could muster against the RedHawks on Wednesday night at Lewis and Clark Park. The Explorers slugger was the only runner to reach third base until the ninth inning for the Sioux City Explorers (0-1) in a 2-1 loss to the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (1-0) in game one of the American Association Division Series.
Austin Drury got the start for the Explorers and tossed a quality start, keeping the RedHawks offense off balance most of the night. The lefty went six innings, giving up one earned run with four walks and four strikeouts in a no decision. The RedHawks were able to scratch out two runs on the night— the first one off Drury in the top of the fifth with the Explorers clinging to a 1-0 lead. Sam Dexter smashed a double to left center to lead off the inning. Kona Quiggle would move Dexter to third on a sac bunt to set up the RedHawks. They would tie the game at one on a sac fly from Juan Fernandez.
Reliever Davis Feldman (1-0) came into the game for the RedHawks in the fifth inning when the Explorers got one of their three hits on the night, a one-out double from Nick Shumpert. Feldman got D’Shawn Knowles on one pitch to ground out to third to end the threat. Feldman did not surrender a hit as the RedHawks’ pen stymied the Explorers offense. The X’s would get a one-out walk in the bottom of the seventh from Daniel Lingua, but he was thrown out trying to steal second by Fernandez for the second out of the inning.
Zach Willeman took over in the seventh for Drury and worked a 1-2-3 inning but ran into trouble in the top of the eighth. Willeman walked Alec Olund on four pitches but got the first out on a comeback grounder at second on a fielder’s choice from Ismael Alcantara. Alcantara, who stole a league-leading 70 bases on the season, stole second and went to third on a high errant throw from catcher Jake Green. Drew Ward reached on an infield single, but Alcantara would hold at third. Willeman then struck out Marcus Chiu for the second out of the inning and looked like he would escape the inning unscathed, but he uncorked a wild pitch on a 2-1 count to Michael Hallquist to send home Alcantara for the go-ahead run.
The Explorers would get a leadoff walk on in the eighth in the form of Jake Green, but the club went quietly in order with the final out recorded by lefty Parker Harm for the RedHawks. Sioux City had one last chance to do something at the plate and tie or win the game in the ninth off closer Alex DuBord. Scott Ota walked to lead off the inning. The game would not finish without controversy, however. Ota would steal second on a 3-2 count to Justin Connell, but on the play Connell was ruled to have swung the bat when it appeared that he did not go around, and the replay accounts showed he did not even swing. DuBord then struck out Ozzie Martinez, but Ota stole third on the swing and miss to put the second runner at third on the night. With the tying run at third, Lingua struck out to end the game.
The Explorers will now have to travel to Fargo and win twice to extend their season. Game two will be at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night at Newman Outdoor Stadium in Fargo, North Dakota. The Explorers will send Jared Wetherbee (6-4, 4.39) to the hill to face RHP Colten Davis (7-6, 4.25) for the Fargos. Game three of the series will be Saturday night (if necessary) with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.
For more information or for media requests, please feel free to reach out at 817-739-3693. Tickets can be purchased You can catch all the X’s action on aabaseball.tv and on radio at KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360 AM.
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