SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 28, 2026
VÁSQUEZ WALKS IT OFF FOR SIOUX CITY
EXPLORERS EARN SPLIT WITH MILWAUKEE
By: Andrew Della Piana
SIOUX CITY, IA – The Sioux City Explorers (7-7) closed out the four‑game set with the Milwaukee Milkmen (7-6) in dramatic fashion Thursday night, riding Braulio Vásquez’s three‑run walk‑off homer to a 7–4 victory and a series split at Security National Bank Field at Lewis and Clark Park.
Manager Steve Montgomery summed it up simply: “Got the pitch he wanted in that spot and absolutely didn’t miss. So happy for that guy.”
Milwaukee opened the night with three hits in the first inning but couldn’t push a run across. The Milkmen finally broke through in the third when Peniel Otano walked the first two batters and Alec Olund scored on a throwing error by Elliot Good, giving Milwaukee a 1–0 lead.
Sioux City answered immediately. After loading the bases in the bottom half, Vásquez battled back from an 0–2 count to lift a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Austin Davis and tying the game 1–1.
The X’s took the lead in the fourth when Zane Denton reached on an error by Justin Janas and moved to third on a bunt by Henry George. Jackson Van De Brake then lined a single to right for his fifth RBI of the season, putting Sioux City ahead 2–1.
Otano settled in perfectly, working into the seventh inning and escaping a sixth‑inning jam with a 5‑4‑3 double play. His final line included 6.2 innings, six hits, two earned runs. That marked the longest outing by an Explorers starter this season and just the team’s second quality start.
However, Milwaukee tied the game 2–2 in the seventh on an RBI double from Chase Waddell, the first batter Ben DeTaeye faced. DeTaeye rebounded by stranding two in scoring position, striking out Michael Hallquist to end the inning.
Milwaukee starter Jhordany Mezquita was equally sharp, allowing just two runs (one earned) over six innings.
Sioux City regained control in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and an 0–2 count, Zac Vooletich delivered a clutch two‑run single to right, giving the X’s a 4–2 lead. Sioux City is now 6–0 when leading after seven innings.
The Milkmen kept fighting. Yordys Valdés singled home a run in the eighth, and Nate Gercken stranded two more by retiring Delvin Pérez. Milwaukee left eight runners on base in the game.
Down to its final strike in the ninth, Milwaukee tied it 4–4 on a Janas RBI single to left, handing Tahnaj Thomas a blown save.
But the night belonged to Sioux City.
With two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth, the league leader in hits, Vásquez, unloaded on a pitch and crushed a three‑run walk‑off homer to left, sealing a 7–4 victory and sending the Explorers into the weekend on a high.
Sioux City opens a three‑game series against the Kansas City Monarchs Friday night at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 6:05 p.m. on KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360 AM. Fans can also watch every American Association game this season on the league’s streaming platform at aabaseball.tv.
Ticket packages for the 2026 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 updates.
Notes from the Booth with DV:
-The X’s had a walk off winner for the first time since August 9, 2025 when Zac Vooletich had an RBI single in a 5-4 win in 10 innings over Fargo-Moorhead.
-The Explorers have two quality starts of six or more innings yielding three runs or less. Both from Peniel Otaño.
-Henry George stole three bases and now have a league leading 34.
-Nate Gercken pitched in his 229 game as an Explorer.
-The X’s have hit seven home runs in the series and nine more than at this point last season.
-Zacc Vooletich became the first Explorer to reach double figures in stolen bases with 10.
-DV says that the pulled pork mac and cheese is great!
ABOUT THE SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS: The Sioux City Explorers are a proud member of the American Association of Professional Baseball in Sioux City, IA. The Explorers play their home games at Security National Bank Field at Lewis & Clark Park. For more information, please visit xsbaseball.com and follow the team on Twitter at @SiouxCityXs and on Facebook at facebook.com/SiouxCityExplorers.
TUNE INTO ALL THE EXPLORERS ACTION ON KSCJ AND AABASEBALL.TV