712.277.WINS (9467)

The Sioux City Explorers win their sixth in a row and sweep the Saltdogs in extra innings by a score of 5-4 Thursday night in eleven complete innings. 

The Explorers plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the first. Michael Lang had a one out triple to put him in scoring position to later score off a two out RBI single by X’s shortstop Noah Perio Jr to start it for Sioux City. 

In the third, Rene Tosoni singled to start the inning. Brock Kjeldgaard then walked to advance Tosoni to second. They both would tag up and advance a base off a fly-out to centerfield by Noah Perio Jr. With runners at second and third and two outs, Ryan Court knocked in both runners off a two-run single to give the X’s a 3-0 lead. 

The Saltdogs put up two runs in the fourth inning off three hits. Lincoln designated hitter Ryan Wiggins singled to score the first run of the game for the Saltdogs. On the next at-bat they scored their second run of the game when shortstop Steve Pascual singled to plate the runner from second and shorten the lead to 3-2 X’s. 

Sioux City would come back with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-2. Catcher Dillon Usiak doubled to start the inning, he then advanced to third on the next at-bat and later scored off a sac-fly RBI by Michael Lang. 

In the seventh inning Lincoln would cut the lead to one off an RBI double by Brian Joynt to make it 4-3 Explorers and then tie it in the ninth off another RBI double, this time by catcher Mitch Canham, eventually sending it into extra innings. This was the Explorers third extra inning game of the season for Sioux City with them winning the first two in ten innings. 

Neither team scored a run in the tenth inning, but in the 11th the winning run crossed home plate in unordinary fashion. Matt Koch started off the inning at second base due to the new extra inning game rules in the American Association, but he was caught in a rundown for the second out of the inning on a roundball by Matty Johnson, with Johnson winding up at second base during the rundown. Michael Lang would reach first on an error by the third baseman, advancing Johnson to third base to put runners at the corners with two outs for Rene Tosoni. The designated hitter Tosoni hit a grounder to the shortstop who bobbled it which would score Matty Johnson who was the winning run from third base. 

Explorers win their third game in extra innings this season, sixth in a row, and sweep the Saltdogs Thursday night with a score of 5-4. The X’s finish with five runs off eleven hits while committing one error, while Lincoln plated four runs off 8 hits and two errors in the contest. 

Starting pitcher for Sioux City was right-hander Patrick Johnson who would receive the no decision going six innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six batters on the night. The X’s would four pitch in relief with right-hander Rob Wort (3-0) receiving the win pitching a scoreless inning and striking out two. 

Jesse Smith was the starter for Lincoln, the righty went seven innings, giving up four runs on eight hits, four walks with four strikeouts. Conor Spink (1-2) would be charged with the loss for the Saltdogs going 1.2 innings and allowing the winning run to cross home plate. 

Sioux City had three batters finish the night with double-digit hits. Matty Johnson went 2 for 5 with a run, Michael Lang had two hits which were a double and a triple along with an RBI and run scored, and Noah Perio Jr went 2 for 5 with an RBI. 

Explorers will head to Sioux Falls to take on the Canaries in a three game series from June 19-21st, and then they’ll start a three game series with the St. Paul Saints at the new CHS field on Monday. For 2015 ticket information at Lewis and Clark Park, call (712) 277-WINS or visit the X’s website at www.xsbaseball.com