SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2023
By Austin Thomas
X’S SECURE SERIES WIN
BACK AND FORTH GAME GOES TO SIOUX CITY
SIOUX CITY, IOWA – It was another offensive explosion Thursday night as the Sioux City Explorers (21-22) took down the Sioux Falls Canaries (18-26), winning 9-8 on a go-ahead RBI from Explorers Chase Harris in the bottom of the eighth. The win gave the series to the X’s, who have won three series in a row. After the loss, the Canaries moved into last place in the West Division, falling behind the Winnipeg Goldeyes in the standings.
The offensive explosion in the first inning started with Sioux Falls Jordan Barth and Wyatt Ulrich scoring from a Jabari Henry three-run shot off Sioux City starter Austin Drury, giving the Canaries an early 3-0 lead. The Explorers immediately responded in the bottom of the frame, starting with Matt Lloyd and John Nogowski crossing home on a Miguel Sierra RBI double off Sioux Falls starter Akeem Bostick, making it a 3-2 game. Sioux City’s Vince Fernandez scored on a Jake Ortega groundout off Canaries Bostick, tying the game 3-3. X’s Sierra went home on a Wilfredo Gimenez towering two-run shot off Sioux Falls Bostick, giving the lead to the Explorers 5-3.
The Canaries continued the offensive excitement in the second inning behind a two-out rally starting with Hunter Clanin scoring unearned on a Darnell Sweeney double off Sioux City’s Drury, cutting the lead to 5-4. Sioux Falls Sweeney then scored on a single from Barth off X’s Drury, tying it 5-5.
The Canaries took the lead in the third inning with Trevor Achenbach scoring on a Welington Dotel home run off Explorers Drury, making it 7-5 Sioux Falls.
The X’s roared back in the fifth, beginning with Sioux City’s Lloyd scoring on a Fernandez double off Sioux Falls Bostick and cutting the deficit to 7-6. Explorers Ortega tied it up with another RBI, hitting a sac fly to right field off Canaries reliever Brady Stover and making it 7-7. The X’s added one more run in the fifth when Sioux City’s Fernandez scored on a Gimenez sac fly off Sioux Falls Stover, making it 8-7 Sioux City.
The Canaries fired back in the sixth with Trevor Achenbach scoring on a Hunter Clanin single off Explorers reliever Heitor Tokar, tying the game 8-8.
The X’s snatched the lead back in the eighth with Sioux City’s Jake Sanford coming home on a two-out, go-ahead RBI single from Harris off Canaries Hayden Thomas (0-1), giving the Explorers the lead 9-8. X’s Sean Rackoski (6) relieved Kent Hasler (2-1) for the ninth, striking out two and caging the Canaries for the save.
The Explorers will head to Lincoln for a three-game series with the Lincoln Saltdogs beginning Friday night at 7:05 p.m. The Explores return home for a seven game homestand starting Monday July 3 with a first pitch at 7:05 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 AM.