SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
September 3, 2023
By Dan Vaughan Jr.
X’S BATS IN THE DOGHOUSE
SIOUX CITY SHUTOUT ON SUNDAY
CHICAGO – The Sioux City Explorers (52-47) offense went cold Sunday afternoon in a 3-0 loss to the Chicago Dogs (54-41) at Impact Field. Nick Green (6-5) held the X’s scoreless through six innings while Sioux City lefty Jared Wetherbee (2-4) tossed a quality start but did not get any run support in the second straight loss for the playoff-bound Explorers.
The Dogs took a 1-0 lead in the home half of the first for the second straight game. Wetherbee retired the first two batters; then the Dogs picked up single and a double to put runners at second and third. Luke Mangieri reached on an infield single to score Ryan Lidge to make it 1-0 Chicago.
In the bottom of the third, Payton Eeles led off with a double to start the inning for the Dogs. Lidge would reach on an error by Daniel Lingua to put runners at the corners. Josh Altman hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Eeles to make it 2-0 lead for the Dogs. The Dogs final run came on a solo home run off Wetherbee off the bat of Dylan Rosa to give Chicago a 3-0 advantage.
On the mound, Green held the X’s hitless for the first 4.1 innings before Vince Fernandez reached on a single to right field. The right-hander would hold the Explorers to just two hits while tossing six scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Wetherbee gave up three runs on six hits with six strikeouts and a pair of walks.
The Explorers would get the leadoff man aboard in the sixth, seventh and eighth but could not muster any type of momentum against the Dogs. Trevor Lane worked two scoreless innings for Chicago while closer Brian Schlitter picked up his 18th save. Sioux City would have the tying run bat with one out in the top of the ninth, but the righty would induce a double play ball off the bat of John Nogowski to end the game 3-0.
The Explorers will wrap up their final road trip of the season Monday in Rosemont, Illinois against the Chicago Dogs. The final game of the regular season is set for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.
The Explorers begin their playoff run Wednesday night, September 6 against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo at 6:30 p.m. Game two and three (if necessary) are scheduled for Friday, September 6 at 7:05 p.m. and Saturday 7 and 6:00 p.m. at Lewis and Clark Park. Tickets for the postseason can be purchased online at XSBaseball.com, in person at the Lewis and Clark Park Box Office or by calling 712-277-WINS. You can catch all the X’s action on aabaseball.tv and on radio at KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360 AM with the pregame beginning 30 minutes prior to first pitch.