712.277.WINS (9467)

Sioux City, IA - The Kansas City T-Bones used a late comeback in the ninth to beat the Explorers 2-1. 

For the second straight night it was a duel between the starting pitchers. Tommy Collier actually picked up the win in the game as Collier (9-3) went 8 innings, allowed just one run, on 4 hits, struck out 4 and did not walk a single batter. 

Sioux City had a chance to get on the board early in the fourth as Michael Lang lead off the inning with a double but the X’s were unable to drive him home and squandered the opportunity. 

The Explorers would get on the board in the seventh when Jose Sermo crushed his 15th home run of the year over the right field to give Sioux City a 1-0 lead. It would be the only run that Collier would allow on the night. 

Ian McKinney had his best start in an Explorers uniform as he matched Collier inning for inning. McKinney took a tough luck no decision as he went 7.2 shut out innings,  allowing just 4 hits, 4 walks and 6 strike outs. 

McKinney would leave with two outs in the top of the eighth and give way to Patrick Schuster with runners on first and second and Schuster was able to get the X’s out of the inning with the lead as he struck out Noah Perio. 

Kansas City though would mount their comeback in the ninth inning against X’s closer Eric Karch. It started when Alay Lago hit what seemed like a harmless pop up into shallow right center field. But as four Explorers converged on the spot Luis Durango who was the man to make the play hesitated and the last second lunged for the ball but it deflected off his glove and fell to the ground and Lago was safe at second base to lead off the inning on the third error of the night for Sioux City. Karch would then get Curcio to pop out to get the first out of the inning. Logan Moon would advance the runner to third and reach at first with a swinging bunt. Adrian Nieto was then called on as a pinch hitter. He would deliver for Kansas City as he grounded a ball into right field to tie the game 1-1. Mason Davis would then come up with two outs in the inning and runners at first and second and he would double to left field to give Kansas City the lead, late 2-1. 

In the bottom of the ninth Cody Winiarski picked up his ninth save of the year as he set down the Explorers in order. 

With the loss it’s only the second time the Explorers have lost in a Saturday game as they are now 11-2 on the day. And the first time they have lost in a game where their opponent scores 2 runs or less as they are now 18-1. 

The Explorers and T-Bones will play the series finale on Sunday with first pitch for 6:05. So far the season series has the Explorers with the advantage record wise 6-5. As this is the third four game series that Sioux City and Kansas City have played this season and Kansas City has a chance to make it three series splits.