712.277.WINS (9467)

BOX SCORE

Gary, IN-The Explorers kept their perfect road record against the RailCats intact with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night at U.S. Steel Yard.  

With the win, Sioux City (38-45) has won five straight to match a season-high. The Explorers are 7-6 against Gary SouthShore (43-39) this season, including a 5-0 record at Gary. After a scoreless first, the X’s pounced on the RailCats with a two-run second. Tom Mendonca led off the inning with a single. Two outs later, Michael Lang singled and moved Mendonca to third. Oscar Mesa then doubled for a 2-0 lead as both Mendonca and Lang scored on the extra-base hit.

Sioux City doubled its lead in the third. Back-to-back one-out doubles by Andres Perez and Peter Barrows made it 3-0. Barrows advanced to third on a ground out, and scored the fourth run on an error by the first baseman as Amos Ramon reached base. In the bottom of the third, Gary cut the lead in half. A one-out walk put Drew Muren on base. Daniel Pulfer followed with a single and Drew Martinez walked to load the bases. Zac Mitchell was hit by a pitch for the RailCats first run. A sacrifice fly to center from Ryan Babineau cut the deficit to 4-2.

Each team went scoreless for the next four innings. The Explorers plated a single run in the eighth. Gary grabbed it back with one in the ninth for the game’s final margin. Patrick Johnson posted the win for Sioux City. Johnson (7-5) worked five innings and gave up two earned runs on three hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Dustin Crenshaw suffered the loss for the RailCats. Crenshaw (7-7) lasted six innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Chris Bodishbaugh gave up an earned run on two hits in the ninth before he notched his 12^th save of the season.

The Explorers outhit Gary 10-8. Andres Perez and Dillon Usiak (pictured) served up two hits apiece. Oscar Mesa had two RBIs. Eight of the nine X’s batters had at least one hit. For the RailCats, Drew Martinez went 3-for-3 with an RBI. Daniel Pulfer had two hits with two runs scored. SouthShore committed two errors in the game, and left nine runners stranded. The X’s have gone 10-4 in their last 14 games.     

Sioux City wraps up its seven-game road trip Wednesday night in Gary with the series finale against the RailCats. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 at U.S. Steel Yard. After the series at Gary, the Explorers return home to face Lincoln on Thursday, August 14^th. For ticket information and promotion specials at Lewis & Clark Park, call 712-277-WINS or visit the Explorers website at www.xsbaseball.com.