SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
July 8, 2023
By Austin Thomas
X’S EXTEND WINNING STREAK
SIOUX CITY TAKES BOTH ENDS OF DOUBLEHEADER
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – In front of a crowd of 2,649 fans, the Sioux City Explorers (27-25) extended their winning streak to a season-high six games Saturday by taking down the Cleburne Railroaders (27-26) in both halves of a doubleheader 1-0 and 4-1. Following the win, the Explorers find themselves within 1.5 games of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks for second in the West Division and one game behind the Lincoln Saltdogs for third.
Game one
In the first game, Sioux City found the first run when X’s Matt Lloyd scored on a Tyler Rando single off Cleburne starter Kasey Kalich (2-2), giving the Explorers an early 1-0 lead. Behind Sioux City starter Paul Rector and relievers Brandon Brosher (3-1), Nate Gercken, Kent Hasler, and Sean Rackoski (10), the X’s shutout the Railroaders, winning the first game 1-0.
Game two
The Explorers scored first once again in game two when Chase Harris crossed home on a Tyler Rando single off Cleburne starter Kody Bullard (5-2), making it 1-0 Sioux City early on. X’s Lloyd made his way across the plate on a Wilfredo Gimenez single off Bullard immediately after, extending the Explorers lead 2-0.
The Railroaders got one back in the third when Cleburne’s Blaze Brothers went home on a Brian Klein double off Sioux City starter Trenton Toplikar (2-1), making it 2-1.
The X’s regained the two-run lead in the fourth when Explorers Kyle Kasser dashed home on a wild pitch from Railroaders Bullard, making it 3-1 Sioux City.
In the sixth inning, X’s Miguel Sierra ripped a triple off Cleburne reliever Nick Gardewine before Kyle Kasser sent him home with a sac fly, making it 4-1 Explorers.
Sioux City’s Toplikar came back to the mound for the seventh inning, working a three up, three down frame to finish the complete game and clinch the victory.
The Explorers wrap up the homestand Sunday July 9 with the final game of the four-game series with the Cleburne Railroaders with a first pitch at 4:05 p.m. Tickets for the season 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.