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McCall Walks it Off in Twelfth on Independence Day

Sioux City, IA  - On America’s 243rd birthday the Explorers provided for the fans who stuck around a game they will not soon forget. It took 12 innings and four hours and thirty-nine minutes but the X’s walked it off on the 4th of July by a final score of 3-2. 

In the 12th Dexture McCall would come to the plate with the bases loaded and one out with the game tied 2-2. He would rope one to right field easily scoring Michael Lang who lead off the inning with a walk to win the ball game. McCall collected both of his hits in the game in extra innings. 

It was the second walk off hit of the year for the Explorers with both games going 12 innings. The other one was on June 10th when the X’s beat the Saltdogs 2-1 on a Drew Stankiewicz walk off single. 

Matt Pobereyko (1-2) earned the win for Sioux City with an incredible three inning performance. He pitched the 10th, 11th and 12th scoreless. Even working around a one out triple by Garrett Copeland in the 10th to keep the game tied 2-2. That was the lone hit he gave up as he walked two (one intentional) and struck out three. His only other multi inning game this season was June 2nd against the Chicago Dogs when he was asked to secure a five out save. 

Sioux City would take the early lead in the ball game in the first with Kyle Wren leading things off with a single. After a hit and run play with Lang singling to right, Wren found himself at third and would score on a sacrifice fly from Nate Samson to make it 1-0. 

Carlos Sierra got the start for the Explorers, he tossed 5 1/3 innings, getting the no decision allowing two runs, one earned on five hits while walking four and striking out three. 

Milwaukee scored in back to back innings beginning in the fourth as Copeland doubled with one out. Copeland went 3-6 on the night with a pair of doubles and a triple. Manuel Boscan followed with a single but was thrown out at first on the play. With two outs Jose Rosario singled into centerfield to tie the game 1-1. 

Milwaukee took the lead in the fifth for a brief time when Nolan Early made it to third on a ground ball back to the mound. Sierra threw the ball to first but X’s first baseman Adam Sasser couldn’t see it due to the sun in his eyes. The ball rolled up the right field line allowing Early to get to third on the play. After a walk, the X’s would make the trade of a double play for the run to score and the Milkmen were up 2-1. 

But the X’s would respond in the home half as Dylan Kelly doubled to left field. Kyle Wren walked and Lang reached on an error to load the bases with one out. After the second out was recorded and no one scored, Jose Sermo worked a walk to bring home Kelly and tie the game 2-2. Which is how it stayed till the X’s walked it off seven innings later. 

Sioux City now begins a nine game, ten day road trip. Beginning with a three game weekend series with the Sioux Falls Canaries at the Bird Cage. First pitch is set for Friday at 7:05 pm.