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St. Paul, MN -  An eighth inning rally for the Explorers propelled them to a 5-2 win over the St Paul Saints at CHS Field. 

The Saints struck in the first when Anthony Phillips was hit by a pitch and scored on a Noah Perio Jr. single to give St. Paul a 1-0 lead. 

That’s the only run that St Paul would get off of X’s starter Taylor Jordan who was brilliant for Sioux City yet again, going 6 innings allowing just the 1 run on 7 hits, striking out 6 and not walking a single batter. Unfortunately for Jordan he took a no decision in the ballgame. That was because the Explorers offense was held in check for the first 6 innings. 

Jeff Malm got the start for St Paul and went the first 4 innings for the Saints only allowing a walk in the first inning and then not allowing another base runner. Beck Wheeler went the next 2 innings for the Saints keeping the X’s scoreless. 

The Saints in fact kept Sioux City hitless for the first 5.2 innings of the ball game before a Luis Durango single to right field. Sioux City also loaded the bases in the seventh with only one out but were unable to score. 

The Saints would add an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh as JJ Gould walked with two outs, stole second and was driven home by an Anthony Phillips RBI single to make it 2-0 St Paul. 

Sioux City though came through in the eighth with a 5 run inning. Started by a David Kerian single, he advanced to second on a passed ball and got to third on a Michael Lang infield single.  He scored on a sacrifice fly by Jay Austin to make it 2-1. With two outs, Nate Samson singled, and Jose Sermo walked to load the bases. Jay Baum stepped in and crushed a double into right center field gap that one hopped the wall and cleared the bases. And in the blink of an eye Sioux City had a 4-2 lead. Dexture McCall then drove in Baum with a base hit to right field and at the end of the eighth inning the X’s had a 5-2 lead. 

In the bottom of the eighth Eric Karch was called on with one out to pick up the five out save. He was able to get out of the eighth inning on three pitches and then finished off the ninth with a double play. That was the fourth double play turned by the X’s in the ball game. 

The X’s now improve to 28-10 on the season and will go for the series sweep on Wednesday with righty Justin Vernia going for the Explorers and righty Matt Solter on the hill for the Saints with first pitch at 7:05.