SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 2025
By John Colavita
SIXTH INNING EXPLOSION CAGES CANARIES
SIOUX CITY SCORES SEASON-HIGH 16 RUNS
SIOUX CITY, Iowa— The first team to reach 30 wins, then 40 wins, and finally 50 wins in the American Association became the first team to reach the 60-win mark Tuesday night at Lewis and Clark Park. The Sioux City Explorers (60-34) flipped the script on the Sioux Falls Canaries (54-40), erupting for a 16-5 win after trailing midway through the matchup. An eight-run sixth inning closed the book on the Canaries, authored by Abdiel Layer’s go-ahead grand slam.
Still reeling from two straight losses, the Explorers came out energized to start the game. Henry George ignited the offense with a bloop single to right field in the bottom of the first. D’Shawn Knowles advanced him to third on a groundout, and Josh Day brought him home with an RBI single up the middle.
With two outs and a man on first in the top of the second, Peter Zimmermann sent a liner into left that dropped just beyond George’s reach. Center fielder Austin Davis was backing up the play, but the ball skipped past him, allowing Josh Rehwaldt to race home from first and tie the ballgame at one.
In the top of the third, the first three Sioux Falls hitters reached base. Matt Ruiz led off with a double, Jabari Henry drew a walk and then Matt Bottcher stepped to the plate. The former Chicago Dog bounced Jared Wetherbee’s 2-2 pitch just over Abdiel Layer’s head at third and into left, bringing Ruiz around to score and giving the Canaries a 2–1 lead.
Despite walking four batters over his first three innings, Wetherbee struck out eight of his first nine outs. He kept the hitters off balance, but had trouble finding the strike zone all night, tying a season-high with five walks. Tahnaj Thomas (1-0) took over for Wetherbee and worked through the top of the sixth, allowing an earned run.
Heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, Sioux Falls led 4-2 and manager Mike Meyer handed the reins to Kody Dalen (2-1). That advantage wouldn’t last for long.
Michael Quiñones walked to open the frame and the X’s followed with three consecutive singles, plating a run and loading the bases for Layer. Layer battled Dalen in a tense at-bat, and the 1-2 pitch changed everything. The former San Francisco Giants farmhand blasted the offering well clear of the left field wall for a majestic grand slam home run to give his club a 7-4 lead.
The Explorers went on to send 13 men to the plate in the inning, scoring eight runs on seven hits and headed into the seventh inning leading 10-4. Ben DeTaeye took over in the seventh and surrendered an unearned run, but the Explorers maintained their grip on the contest. The bullpen slammed the door and the offense tacked on six more runs, including another home run from Layer and a two-run shot by Knowles, as the X’s evened the series in style.
Elsewhere around the American Association, the Milwaukee Milkmen took care of business against the Kansas City Monarchs, helping to drop the X’s magic number to clinch the West Division to just two. With a win and a Kansas City loss, the Explorers could clinch the division as soon as tomorrow night.
The Explorers and Canaries play game three of the series Wednesday night August 27 at Lewis and Clark Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with the gates opening at 6:00 p.m. The game can be heard on radio at KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360 AM and the video stream will air on aabaseball.tv.
Notes from the Booth with DV:
-Sioux City’s magic number is 2 for the West Division crown after the win and a Kansas City loss.
-Austin Davis extended his hitting streak to 14 games.
-The season series is now 8-7 in favor of Sioux City.
-Josh Day and Henry George each had their 29th multi-hit game.
-The X’s now have 259 stolen bases.
-Josh Day has seven RBI in the last four games.
-Iowa Hawkeye Ben DeTaeye tossed two innings allowing an unearned run and added his 31st strikeout of the season.
-Abdiel Layer became the third Explorer to have two homers in a game (Shumpert 2x and Knowles).
-Sioux Falls leads the league in home runs but the X’s have hit 20 homers against the Canaries while the “birds” only nine head-to-head.
-D’Shawn Knowles hit his sixth triple and had his 16th multi-RBI game.
-The X’s are 13-3 on Tuesday.
-It was the club’s league leading 31st win at home.
