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Sioux City, IA - The Sioux City Explorers split the double header with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks with a walk off 2-1 victory in game one and the RedHawks taking game two by a score of 4-3. 

Game 1 - Taylor Jordan (5-1) was the star of the game for the Explorers in game one. Making his seventh start of the season he earned the win as he was perfect through his first six innings. He ended up throwing a complete game going 8 innings, allowing only 1 run on 3 hits, striking out 4 and walking none. 

Unfortunately for Jordan, RedHawks starter Sebastian Kessay was just as good, as he went 7 shut out innings, allowing only 3 hits, walking 3 and striking out 4. The X’s had chances in the second, third and fifth innings to get a run home but each inning ended with men being left in scoring position. 

In a game that was only meant to go seven innings we went to the eighth scoreless. Fargo Moorhead struck first when Tommy Mendonca lead off the inning with a base hit, Derrick Fox pinch ran for him and got to third base on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out. Steve Zimmerman then drove him home with his second hit of the season, a double down the left field line giving Fargo a 1-0 lead. 

Going to the bottom of the eighth Jordan was actually on the hook for the loss. But his teammates would help him out. Dylan Kelly reached on a one out base hit, Michael Lang got on with a two out single. Ryan Flores was called on to pinch run for Kelly at second. With two out in the inning, Nate Samson lined one into right field. Flores was waved around and the throw from the right fielder was off line. Flores scored to tie the game, but the ball got away from the RedHawks catcher. Lang who went first to third on the single by Samson saw this and raced home ahead of the tag to score the winning run and the X’s won in walk off fashion. 

Game 2 - The RedHawks got the lead off man on in this ball game in six of the seven innings that they came to the plate. And that lead off man would score 3 times in the first three innings of the game. 

X’s starter Keith Picht (1-2) took the loss as he only lasted 1.2 innings allowing 2 runs on 2 hits, and walking 2. Though he had a short leash since the bullpen for Sioux City was very well rested and only needing to complete a 7 inning game. 

The X’s used five pitchers out of the pen in the second game of the double header; Ryan Flores, Patrick Schuster, Tyler Fallwell went 2 innings, Parker Markel and Eric Karch who was the only pitcher to record a 1-2-3 inning. 

Sioux City went to the sixth trailing 4-0. Thanks in part to Reese Gregory (1-1) the starter for Fargo who to that point had only allowed one hit to the X’s lineup. Gregory finished with a line of 5.1 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits, striking out 1 and walking none. And at one point retired 14 straight batters that he faced. 

Daniel Jackson got the second hit of the game off of Gregory with a double with one out in the sixth. Luis Durango then followed with a single into center field. Gregory then committed a throwing error trying to pick off Durango at first the ball rolled away and into the RedHawks dugout. Allowing Jackson to score and Durango to go to third. Michael Lang then drove him home with a base hit making it 4-2 Fargo. Austin reached on a swinging strikeout that got away from the catcher and Nate Samson was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. With the tying run at second and the go ahead run at first Jay Baum hit into a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning. Making it 12 straight games that the X’s have hit into a double play. 

Sioux City would attempt a comeback in the seventh, when Jose Sermo hit a solo home run to lead off the inning and make it 4-3. Dexture McCall then singled. Kelly flew out to deep right field and McCall tagged and got to second and Jackson walked. Again with only one out in the inning the X’s had the tying run in scoring position at second and the winning run on base. Luis Durango lined out to left and McCall was caught too far off of second base and was doubled off to end the game. 

The Explorers lost two out of three to the RedHawks making it the first series that Sioux City has lost this season. They take a 24-9 record with them into a three game series against the Gary SouthShore Railcats starting on Friday with first pitch set for 7:05.