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Sioux City, IA - The Sioux City Explorers were able to sweep a double header from the Lincoln Saltdogs on Friday night by winning game one 6-3 and game two 5-3. 

The Explorers and Saltdogs began the night by finishing a game that had been suspended in the top of the fifth inning back on July 15th with Lincoln leading 2-1.

Sioux City started the game with Patrick Schuster on the mound as he tossed 2 scoreless innings for the X’s, not allowing a single base runner and striking out two. 

Schuster would earn the win as Sioux City scored four times in the sixth against Saltdogs starter Eric Wooten, who had started the game on the 15th originally and pitched in the completed version of the game as well. Wooten ended up throwing a complete game in the record books while only pitching four innings in the ball game on Friday night. With one out in the bottom of the sixth Sioux City would begin a hit parade with the next five men reaching on hits. Sermo doubled to bring Michael Lang home from first to tie the game 2-2. Sermo scored on a Samson single, Baum singled and Dexture McCall brought in Samson with a base knock to right field and Baum scored on a Daniel Jackson base hit making it 5-2 X’s. 

Both teams would tack on a run in their halves of the seventh as Angel Reyes walked and scored on a double by Brandon Jacobs for the Saltdogs. Luis Durango would walk, and steal second and then score on a Jose Sermo base hit to make it 6-3 X’s. 

Parker Markel pitched a perfect eighth inning, needing only six pitches to put away the Saltdogs and Eric Karch was called on to make his 14th save of the year and did so by setting down the Saltdogs in order.

In game two the Saltdogs got off to a fast start as with a man aboard Christian Ibarra hit a 2-run home run his 11th of the season to give the Saltdogs a 2-0 lead.

But Sioux City would answer as Michael Lang the new franchise record holder in hits in a Sioux City career would triple and then score on a Samson ground out making it 2-1. 

That’s how the score would stay until the fourth when Jose Sermo launched his 13th home run of the season to tie the game 2-2. 

Lincoln took the lead back in the top of the fifth as Cesar Valera worked a two out walk, stole second and then scored on a Jamey Smart single. 

Sioux City would tie it again though as David Kerian walked and advance to third on a throwing error by the pitcher on a pick off play at first. He then scored on a Dylan Kelly RBI single. 

Sioux City would take the lead for good as in the bottom of the sixth of the seven inning game, Jay Baum would reach on a single and then a throwing error by the left fielder on the play advance to third. Baum was then immediately driven in by Dexture McCall’s triple to center field. McCall would then score on a sacrifice fly to shallow left field by David Kerian, as McCall was able to avoid the tag of the catcher up the third base line and scored to make it 5-3 Sioux City. 

Luis Mateo (8-3) earned the win in this one as he went 6 innings, allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, struck out 6 and walked 2.

Eric Karch was called upon again on Friday night to complete the save for the Explorers as he was able to shut the door on the Lincoln Saltdogs again, as he surrendered his first base runner in the outing since July 9th. 

The X’s with the two wins now improve to 49-16 on the year and will take on the Saltdogs on Saturday night with first pitch set for 7:05.