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Starting Pitching Leads The Way For X’s

Sioux City, IA (August, 20th, 2022) - The Sioux City Explorers received excellent starting pitching and swept the doubleheader from the Winnipeg Goldeyes as they won game one 5-1 and shut out the Fish in game two 3-0. 

Game One: Sioux City 5 - Winnipeg 1

Nivaldo Rodriguez (1-0) dazzled in his first start in front of the home crowd as he navigated five innings of one run ball, allowing only three hits with no walks and collecting nine strikeouts. 

The only run that Rodriguez allowed was on a David Washington solo home run in the top of the fourth inning which tied the game at one after Chase Harris got the X’s on the board in the bottom of the third scoring on a wild pitch. 

Sioux City put together a big inning in the bottom of the fifth scoring four times. Danry Vasquez drove in Jack Kelly who led off the inning with a single to center to give the Explorers a 2-1 lead. After a sacrifice bunt pushed runners to second and third, Gabe Snyder singled, driving in two and Dylan Kelly capped off the rally with a base hit to give Sioux City a 5-1 lead. 

Luis Ramirez (10-5) took the loss as he allowed five runs in four and a third, surrendering seven hits with five strikeouts and a walk. 

Max Kuhns collected the final six outs without allowing a run while also picking up a strikeout. 

Game Two: Sioux City 3 - Winnipeg 0

Zach Hedges (3-7) dominated through six one hit innings. He allowed only two base runners, a single in the fourth and an error in the second. He fanned a season high eight batters and did not allow a walk. 

Between the two Sioux City starters in the doubleheader they combined to allow one run over eleven innings on four hits, no walks and 17 strikeouts. 

Sioux City’s offense provided all of their runs in the bottom of the fourth. With bases loaded and one out, Dylan Kelly gave Sioux City the lead with a sacrifice fly to center. Blake Tiberi followed with an RBI double and Zack Kone drove in the final baserunner with an infield single and the X’s went ahead 3-0. 

Taking the loss for the Goldeyes was right hander John Vargas (4-2) as he went three and a third, allowed three runs on three hits with four strikeouts and a pair of walks. 

Thomas McIlraith (17) finished off the twin bill sweep with a scoreless ninth inning and the save. 

With the two wins for Sioux City and a loss by the Lincoln Saltdogs the Explorers take a two game lead for the final wild card spot in the west division. 

The Explorers will go for a sweep over the Goldeyes Sunday afternoon at 4:05. Righty Matt Pobereyko (2-0, 0.00) will take the hill for Sioux City and right hander Landen Bourassa (4-5, 4.19) gets the ball for Winnipeg.