SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2024
By Austin Thomas
WINNIPEG WINS ANOTHER NAILBITER
GOLDEYES COMPLETE SWEEP OF EXPLORERS WITH ONE-RUN WIN
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – It was another game that went down to the wire between the Sioux City Explorers (26-33) and Winnipeg Goldeyes (33-28) Thursday night as the Goldeyes came out with the sweep-ensuring 5-4 victory. Sioux City had four scoreless innings from the bullpen and a three-hit night from Ozzie Martinez, but they couldn’t manage the victory as they left nine on-base through the night.
The Explorers started on the right foot, scoring in the bottom of the second when Sioux City’s Cam Cannon and Daniel Perez came home to score on Ozzie Martinez’s two-RBI single off Winnipeg’s Landen Bourassa (6-3), giving the X’s a 2-0 lead. They added again later in the frame as Sioux City’s Nick Shumpert came home to score on a fielding error from Winnipeg right fielder Max Murphy, extending the lead to 3-0. That became 4-0 the next plate appearance as Sioux City’s John Nogowski pushed home Martinez by drawing a walk from Winnipeg’s Bourassa.
The Goldeyes responded in the top of the third as Winnipeg’s Max Murphy scored both Kevin Garcia and Andy Armstrong with a two-RBI single off Sioux City starter Austin Drury (2-5), cutting the X’s lead to 4-2. The next at bat, Winnipeg’s Miles Simington also picked up an RBI single, sending home Roby Enriquez and making it a one-run game. Winnipeg’s Nick Anderson followed that with a sac fly off Sioux City’s Drury, deep enough to drive home Murphy and knotting it 4-4.
The Goldeyes kept the offense going in the top of the fourth, taking the lead 5-4 when Winnipeg’s Ramon Bramasco hit a sacrifice fly off Sioux City’s Drury, waving home Garcia.
From there, the pitching took over as Sioux City’s Drury finished five complete innings without another run before being relieved by John Sheaks.
Winnipeg’s Tasker Strobel relieved Bourassa after putting runners on first and second with one out in the sixth, but the X’s couldn’t add to the score.
The continued scoreless from that point on, with Sioux City’s John Sheaks pitching two innings while Zach Willeman and Nate Gercken each provided one, although Winnipeg’s Strobel completed 1.2 innings before handing it off to Nick Trogrlic-Iverson who pitched a shutout frame.
In the bottom of the ninth, Winnipeg’s Joey Steele relieved Trogrlic-Iverson, going one-two-three to finish the game and earn the save (1).
The Explorers begin a three-game series with the Sioux Falls Canaries Friday night July 19 with a first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. 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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