SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 29, 2024
By Austin Thomas
SIOUX CITY WALKS OFF A WILD GAME
EXPLORERS COME BACK WITH A HUGE NINTH
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Sioux City Explorers (7-10) won 7-6 in the tenth inning over the Milwaukee Milkmen (9-8) Wednesday night after sending it to extras. The Explorers found themselves down 6-1 in the fourth, and despite cutting the deficit to 6-2, it seemed they were doomed before the offense clicked with a four-run ninth to tie it. Sioux City’s Daniel Perez got the walk-off for the X’s with a grounder that was enough to score the winning run.
The game started with the Milkmen getting on board when Abdiel Layer came home on a passed ball by Sioux City catcher Jake Ortega off starter Antonio Velez, giving the Milk a 1-0 lead.
After a couple scoreless halves, the X’s knotted it in the bottom of the second on a Zac Vooletich RBI single off Milwaukee starter Sebastian Rodriguez, making it 1-1.
The Milkmen broke the tie immediately after when Milwaukee’s Jaylin Davis led off the top of the third with a solo shot off Sioux City’s Velez, reclaiming the lead for the Milk 2-1.
In the top of the fourth, Sioux City’s Evan Johnson relieved Velez, and the Milkmen began to crack the game open in their favor. Milwaukee’s Wendell Marrero started the inning’s scoring with a one-out, bases-empty homer off Johnson, extending the lead to 3-1. The lead grew when Milwaukee’s Erik Ostberg picked up an RBI with a bases-loaded walk, pushing around Davis, making it 4-1.
After the walk, Sioux City’s Jacob Gilliland relieved Johnson before Milwaukee’s Oscar Santos notched a two-RBI single, sending home Jose Sermo and Armani Smith and expanding the Milkmen lead to 6-1.
The X’s grabbed a run back in the bottom of the fifth inning when Sioux City’s John Nogowski hit a sacrifice fly off Milwaukee’s Rodriguez, scoring Vooletich and making it 6-2 Milkmen.
The bullpens for both teams began to dial in with Sioux City’s Gilliland, Nate Gercken and Brandon Brosher helping keep the Milkmen shutout while Milwaukee’s Jhordany Mezquita and Rodrigo Benoit held the Explorers scoreless through the eighth.
In the top of the ninth, the X’s turned to Kyle Marman who, after allowing a double and walk, worked out of the jam to keep the score 6-2.
In the bottom of the ninth, the X’s started to claw back when Sioux City’s Daniel Lingua, Jake Ortega, and Chase Harris all took walks from Milwaukee reliever Mark Simon before he was pulled from the game. The Milkmen turned to closer Victor Capellan, who earned the save in the previous game, but he walked Sioux City’s John Nogowski, sending home Daniel Lingua and cutting the Milwaukee lead to 6-3. The Milkmen suffered a passed ball from catcher Oscar Santos, which Sioux City’s Jake Ortega scored on cutting the X’s deficit to 6-4. Sioux City’s Scott Ota walked, and Osvaldo Martinez added another run to the Explorers’ total when he sent a grounder to short, scoring Chase Harris and making it 6-5 Milkmen. Milwaukee then intentionally walked Sioux City’s Daniel Montano, loading the bases, but Milkmen third baseman Chase Estep committed an error on a grounder from Nick Shumpert, plating Nogowski and knotting the game 6-6.
After Capellan got out of the inning for the Milkmen, Sioux City’s Marman returned to the mound for the 10th and kept Milwaukee from scoring.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Milkmen looked for Alirio Negrette to keep the game alive out of the bullpen. Sioux City’s Daniel Lingua began on second base, and Jake Ortega moved him to third with a sacrifice hit before Daniel Perez stepped up to the plate. After sending a grounder to second base, Sioux City’s Lingua raced home and beat the throw from Milwaukee’s Brett Rodriguez, walking it off for the X’s 7-6.
The Explorers will face the Milwaukee Milkmen in the final game of the three-game series Thursday night May 30 at 7:05 p.m. Ticket packages for the 2024 season are on sale now, including Full and Half-Season Tickets as well as 10, 15 and 25-game Flex Packs. More information is available by calling 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.
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