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Cleburne, TX - Two teams going in opposite directions met up on Wednesday night and the result was not what many expected. The Explorers who had won their last nine games in a row took on the Cleburne Railroaders who had lost their last 13 straight and the Railroaders were able to come away with the 5-3 victory over Sioux City. 

Cleburne lead wire to wire in the ball game as it started in the first inning when Angel Rosa lead off the bottom of the first with a double. He would score on a ground out by Angelo Gumbs to make it 1-0 Cleburne. 

Ian McKinney then set down the next eight Railroaders he faced till he faced Angel Rosa again and Rosa burned him for the second straight at bat hitting a solo home run, his 11th of the season and gave the Railroaders a 2-0 lead.

Ian McKinney would take the loss for Sioux City as he was making just his third start in an Explorers uniform. McKinney (1-1) went 6 innings, allowing 5 runs, on 7 hits, striking out 8 and walking just one batter. 

McKinney though was out dueled by Michael Gunn of the Cleburne Railroaders. Gunn (3-4) was able to hold the top offense in the league to one run over 7 innings, scattering 6 hits, striking out 3 and walking 1. At one point in the game Gunn retired nine straight batters. 

Gunn actually gave himself some run support in the fifth as he was in the batting order in the game and was able to work a one out walk. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and then scored on Rosa’s third hit of the game making it 3-0 Cleburne. 

Finally in the sixth inning someone other than Rosa did some damage for the Railroaders as Trevor Sealey lead off the inning with a base hit and Angelo Gumbs smacked a 2-run homer to give Cleburne a 5-0 lead.

Sioux City would claw their way back into the ball game though as with 2 outs in the seventh Blake Schmit reached on an infield single. He would then score on a Dexture McCall double down the right field line to make it 5-1 Cleburne. 

The X’s made things interesting in the ninth as Jose Sermo lead off the inning with a solo home run his team leading 14th of the season. Jay Baum followed with a single and Blake Schmit was able to work a walk. Dylan Kelly drove in Baum with an RBI base hit with one out to make it 5-3 Cleburne. With runners on the corners and only one away David Kerian would pinch hit but strike out and then Luis Durango hit a ball to deep right field but it ran out of steam and was caught to end the game. 

The loss snapped Sioux City’s nine game win streak and ended Cleburne’s 13 game losing skid. The X’s though were able to finish off the season series with the Railroaders with a dominating 10-2 record. 

The Explorers will now take on the Texas Airhogs for a four game series beginning on Thursday with first pitch set for 7:05.