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Cleburne, TX - The Explorers used a big first inning rally to propel them to propel them to a 6-3 win and a sweep of the Cleburne Railroaders.

The X’s jumped all over Railroader start Roman Gomez in the first inning. The first three men to the plate for Sioux City reached. Luis Durango walked, Michael Lang singled and then Jay Austin doubled to bring home Durango and give the X’s a 1-0 lead. The next two batters though would be retired bringing up Dexture McCall with runners at second and third with two outs. McCall then smacked a missile into center field for a ground rule double scoring both Lang and Austin making it 3-0 Sioux City. But Sioux City wasn’t done, Jay Baum then walked and both he and McCall would score on a Dylan Kelly double making it 5-0 Sioux City in the blink of an eye.

That’s all Sioux City starter Luis Mateo (3-1) would need as he picked up the win by going 5 innings, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, on 7 hits, striking out 6 and walking 2. 

Though Cleburne would score a run in three consecutive innings. Once in the third, once in the fourth and once in the fifth. Cleburne almost scored twice in the fourth but Axel Johnson was thrown out at home plate by Durango, while attempting to score on a base hit. 

Sioux City would pad its lead in the sixth when Jay Baum lead off the inning with a triple and Dylan Kelly who came up next drove him home with a base hit picking up his third RBI of the game and give Sioux City the 6-3 lead. 

Eric Karch (2) was called upon to get the save in the ninth though it wouldn’t be easy as the Railroaders loaded the bases and brought the game winning run to the plate with two outs. But Karch got Levi Scott to strikeout looking to end the threat and give the X’s the sweep of Cleburne and also finish their six game road trip to the Lone Star State a perfect 6-0. 

With the win Sioux City has now won 16 out of their first 20 games played. Their best 20 game start to a season in franchise history. Sioux City is also 12-1 on the road this season. 

The X’s have an off day on Thursday before beginning a weekend 3 game series against the Texas Airhogs on Friday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05.