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BOX SCORE

Grand Prairie, TX-The Explorers used a three-run sixth inning to post their second straight series win with a 6-5 victory over the AirHogs Wednesday afternoon at QuikTrip Park.

Sioux City (20-27) closed out its Texas road trip with a 4-2 record against Amarillo and Grand Prairie. The Explorers fell behind early on in the morning start. The AirHogs plated a run in the bottom of the first after Jimmy Mojica led off with a double and later scored on a base hit by Abel Nieves.

The X’s scored twice in the top of the third to take their first lead of the day. Todd Jennings led off the inning with a single. Following back-to-back strikeouts, rookie Tim Colwell (pictured) smacked the first home run of his career for a 2-1 lead. The homer extended Colwell’s hitting streak to seven games.

Grand Prairie (18-28) quickly regrouped and took the lead back in the bottom of the third. Jimmy Mojica started the three-run jaunt with a single. Alex Nunez was hit by a pitch and Andres Rodriguez came on to pinch run. Abel Nieves singled to load the bases. Jason Botts cleared the bases with a double and the AirHogs led it 4-2 through three.

Sioux City drew within a run in the fourth. Andres Perez reached on an infield error. Peter Barrows followed with a single. A wild pitch moved runners up to second and third. A sac fly to right by Amos Ramon scored Perez and made it 4-3.

The sixth inning catapulted the Explorers into the lead. With one out, Andres Perez singled. Another wild pitch pushed Perez to second. A single by Peter Barrows put runners at the corners. Barrows later stole second. Following the second out and a pitching change, Dillon Usiak singled to tie the game as Perez and Barrows both scored. Usiak raced to second on the play home. Sioux City seized a 6-4 lead after Todd Jennings drove home Usiak with a single.

Grand Prairie plated a run in the eighth that made it 6-5. X’s closer Chris Bodishbaugh came on in the ninth and gave up consecutive base hits before he struck out the side for his seventh save of the season. Sioux City starter Patrick Johnson picked up the win. Johnson (4-2) worked six innings and allowed four earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Ryan Searle suffered the loss for the AirHogs. Searle (2-4) went five-and-two-thirds and yielded five runs (four earned) on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.

At the plate, Peter Barrows led the Explorers with a 3-for-4 day and a run scored. Todd Jennings was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Dillon Usiak and Tim Colwell each collected two RBIs. For the AirHogs, Abel Nieves was 4-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Jason Botts had two hits and drove in three.        

Sioux City returns home to face Wichita July 3^rd through 5^th. Fireworks will follow the Thursday and Friday night games. For ticket information and promotion specials at Lewis & Clark Park, call 712-277-WINS or visit the Explorers website at www.xsbaseball.com.