712.277.WINS (9467)

BOX SCORE

Sioux City, IA-The Explorers held the league’s third-best hitting team to just four hits and extended a season-high win streak to five with an 8-0 shutout victory over Winnipeg Monday night at Lewis & Clark Park.

Sioux City (33-42) stretched its record to 7-1 against the Goldeyes (45-29) this season. The win also marks the team's first five-game winning streak since 2011. The contest was scoreless through the first three-and-a-half innings before Peter Barrows gave the Explorers a two-run lead in the fourth. Rene Tosoni smoked a one-out double into the gap in left-center. With two outs, Barrows pulverized his ninth home run of the season to deep left for a 2-0 lead.

The Explorers plated two more in the sixth. Rene Tosoni led off the inning with a single to right. Andres Perez followed with a single to center. Peter Barrows walked to load the bases. After a Winnipeg pitching change, Tom Mendonca (pictured) was plunked on the right shoulder for an RBI. With the bases still loaded, Amos Ramon then grounded into an unassisted fielder’s choice at third that scored Perez for a 4-0 cushion.

An inning later, Sioux City expanded the lead again. Oscar Mesa led off the seventh with a walk. Tim Colwell reached on a fielder’s choice. Back-to-back walks of Rene Tosoni and Andres Perez loaded the bases. With two outs, Tom Mendonca made it 7-0 with a bases-clearing triple to the wall in right-center. The Explorers tacked on one more run in the eighth for the final margin.

Right-hander Alex Caldera had his best start since joining Sioux City in July. Caldera (1-1) worked six innings to pick up the win. He allowed just two hits and struck out six with three walks. Rob Wort pitched two innings in relief and yielded two hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Geoff Broussard finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth. Winnipeg’s Matt Jackson suffered the loss. Jackson (8-6) went five innings and gave up four earned runs on seven hits with one strikeout and two walks.

The Explorers outhit the Goldeyes 9-to-4. Tom Mendonca went 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Oscar Mesa and Rene Tosoni both had two hits. Tosoni scored three runs while Mesa posted an RBI. Peter Barrows went 1-for-3 with the homer, two RBIs, and a run scored. In the five-game winning streak, the X’s have outscored their opponents 46-9.         

Sioux City continues its eight-game home stand with the third of four against Winnipeg Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05. For ticket information and promotion specials at Lewis & Clark Park, call 712-277-WINS or visit the Explorers website at www.xsbaseball.com.