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Sioux City, IA - After being beaten three straight times for the first time all season the Sioux City Explorers were able to get back into the win column with a 7-5 victory over the Kansas City T-Bones. 

James Dykstra lead the way for Sioux City in this one as he was dominant over the T-Bones lineup. Dykstra (8-2) picked up the win by going 7 shut out innings, allowing only 3 hits, striking out 4 and walking just one. Dykstra allowed only a single batter to reach second base in his seven innings of work. Dykstra has now racked up three wins and three quality starts in his last three straight starts. 

Sioux City gave him some early run support. In the bottom of the first Durango and Michael Lang would both reach base to lead off the inning before Nate Samson drove them home with a 2-run double to give Sioux City an early 2-0 lead. Samson would score from second on a sacrifice fly. As Jose Sermo flied out to deep center field. Cunningham the centerfielder made the catch on the warning track but fell down. He then threw the ball back to the infield from his backside and the ball did not go to the cut off man and was left rolling in shallow center field and Samson who had tagged up from second to go to third rounded third and scored. A two base sacrifice fly gave Sioux City a 3-0 lead. Blake Schmit then singled with two outs. Dexture McCall followed him with a strike out but the ball would get away from the catcher. The throw to first was wide and Schmit scored on the throwing error and Sioux City went up 4-0.

That’s how the score would stay till the sixth, McCall would lead off the inning with a walk. Dylan Kelly followed with a single. Both would advance on a wild pitch. Though it wouldn’t matter as Daniel Jackson crushed his first home run of the year to center field. The three run shot gave Sioux City a 7-0 lead. 

Kansas City though would make it a ball game with a 5 run eighth. It was the fourth time that Kansas City has been able to put together a rally of 5 runs or more against Sioux City this season in the now nine games played between the two teams. Kansas City would have the first six men of the inning reach. Mason Davis was able to bring home a run with a RBI single. Todd Cunningham the league leader with a batting average of .374 was held hitless but was able to draw a walk to bring home another run. Colin Walsh followed with a 2-run single. And a sacrifice fly by Adrian Nieto would make it 7-5 Explorers. But Sioux City was able to escape the inning with the lead. 

Eric Karch came on for the ninth inning allowed one hit but he struck out two batters to pick up his 19th save of the season for Sioux City. 

Sioux City is able to go up 7.5 games in the division on Kansas City again, game two of the series will be Friday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05.