SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 1, 2024
By Austin Thomas
SCHOLTEN IMPROVES TO 4-0 FOR SIOUX CITY
EXPLORERS CLAM SERIES AGAINST SALTDOGS WITH RUBBER MATCH WIN
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The dominance on the mound continued for J.D. Scholten (4-0) Thursday night as he led the Sioux City Explorers (32-37) to victory yet again. Scholten, the current 44-year-old Iowa State Representative for District One, showed out in front of a crowd of over 1,500 fans, pitching 6.1 innings in the Explorers’ 6-2 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs (27-45). The win improved Scholten’s record to 4-0, with an ERA of 2.83 over his five starts.
“I’m just cherishing every single second of this. Like I said, I don’t know how much longer I’ve got, and the older you get, the more you appreciate the little things like this,” Scholten said.
The bullpen also pitched a helping hand for the X’s, relieving Scholten in the seventh and shutting down the Saltdogs in what was a neck-and-neck game until the last inning.
“Our pitching struggled early on, but I feel like we’re coming along pretty well right now,” Sioux City reliever Zach Willeman said about the bullpen this season.
The Saltdogs scored first when Lincoln’s Aaron Takacs hit an RBI single off Scholten in the top of the third, giving the Saltdogs a 1-0 lead.
Lincoln followed that up with another run in the top of the fourth on Jack Dragum’s sac fly, extending the Saltdogs’ lead to 2-0.
The X’s finally broke onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when Sioux City’s Daniel Montano raced home on a wild pitch from Lincoln starter Zach Keenan (4-7), cutting the Explorers’ deficit to 2-1. The next plate appearance, Sioux City’s Nick Shumpert came up clutch with an RBI single, waving home Ozzie Martinez and knotting it 2-2. Sioux City’s Jake Ortega followed with his own RBI single, giving the X’s their first lead of the game 3-2.
The two teams traded scoreless innings from there, with it remaining a 3-2 game entering the seventh. Scholten returned to the mound, and after retiring the first batter, he walked off the rubber to the dugout in front of an ovation from the crowd.
“Sioux City’s been so wonderful to me. This is the third time they’ve given me an ovation coming off the field. I mean I really have to keep composure because it makes me really emotional because a lot of hard work went into getting to this point,” Scholten said.
In the outing, Scholten finished with 6.1 innings, allowing two runs, one walk and nine hits.
“I didn’t get a strikeout tonight, but I’ll take a W with the guys any day. That’s not why I’m here, giving our team a chance to win, that’s what it’s all about,” Scholten said.
Sioux City’s Brandon Brosher took over for Scholten from there, retiring the next two batters to finish the inning. Sioux City’s Willeman entered at the start of the eighth with it still a one-run game, and he struck out three to keep the frame scoreless.
“I love the pressure; it gets the adrenaline going,” Willeman said.
In the bottom of the eighth, the X’s added insurance with a two-RBI single from Sioux City’s Martinez off Lincoln reliever Brandon McCabe, extending the lead to 5-2. Later in the frame, Martinez came home to score on a wild pitch from McCabe, making it a 6-2 game.
Sioux City turned to Kyle Marman in the ninth, and although he allowed a two-out single, he got out of the inning scoreless to finish the game.
“Me, Marman, Brosh[er], and the other guys in the bullpen, we’re fighting against each other, competing against each other, and pushing each other to be the best we possibly can be. Being in these situations, we’re only gaining momentum,” Willeman said.
The Explorers will hit the road and begin a seven game road trip with game one of a three-game series against the Kane County Cougars Friday night August 2 at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva, Illinois. For more information or for media requests, please feel free to reach out at 817-739-3693. Tickets for the season can be purchased online as XSBaseball.com, in person at the Lewis and Clark Park Box Office or by calling 712-277-WINS.
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