712.277.WINS (9467)

Gary, IN - The Explorers took game one from the Gary Southshore RailCats with a 6-1 victory on Friday night. 

The Gary Southshore Railcats had the lead off man reach in 8 of the 9 innings that they came to bat tonight, but X’s pitching was able to hold them to only one run on the night as Gary stranded 11 runners on base in the game and were 1-15 at the plate with runners in scoring position. 

Keith Picht (1-0) picked up the win tonight going 5 shut out innings, allowing only 4 hits, striking out a season high 8 and walking only 2. Picht in the fourth recorded the only 1-2-3 inning for Sioux City pitching on the night and only one RailCat reached third base against Picht. 

His teammates gave him the lead in third inning when Michael Lang lead off with a walk. Jay Baum then lined a missile over the left field wall, his second homer of the year giving Sioux City a 2-0 lead. Daniel Jackson later doubled in the inning with 2 outs and then Dexture McCall followed after him with a double of his own driving in Jackson making it 3-0 X’s. 

Sioux City scored twice in the sixth inning when Daniel Jackson walked to lead off the inning advanced to second on a wild pitch and reached third on a ground out. Dylan Kelly brought him home with a base hit picking up his 21st RBI of the season. Kelly then manufactured his own run. He stole second on the first pitch of the next at bat. And then advanced to third on the wild pitch on the next offering. He scored on the play when the catcher attempted to throw him out at third but ended up throwing the ball away and Kelly scored on the error making it 5-0 Explorers. 

Sioux City tacked on a run in the eighth when Jose Sermo walked to lead off the inning and then stole second and advanced to third on a ground ball. Dexture McCall then walked. So with runners on first and third and only one out McCall ran attempting to steal second, The RailCats took the bait and threw down to second, they tagged out McCall but Sermo completed the double steal and scored standing at the plate to make it 6-0 X’s. 

The RailCats scored in the eighth when a DK Carey base hit drove in Randy Santiesteban on a close play at home plate, and made it 6-1 X’s. But Gary would leave the bases loaded when Ryan Flores got Reggie Wilson to strike out and end the inning. 

That’s the last time that Gary would threaten as they had a runner reach base in the ninth but they never advanced past first base. 

Sioux City is now 21-7 on the season and will play game 2 on Saturday night with first pitch scheduled for 6:10 and the pitching matchup being Justin Vernia vs. Lars Ligouri.