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X’s Offense Quiet Again

Grand Prairie, TX - Don’t look now, but all of a sudden the Texas Airhogs are the hottest team in the league. The Airhogs have rattled off four straight wins against the top two teams in the American Association South Division. Texas took down the Sioux City Explorers in the first game of their three game series 2-1 in walk off fashion. 

The Explorers jumped out in front early as Kyle Wren walked and stole second. He would score on a two out single from Jose Sermo to put the X’s up 1-0 in the top of the first. 

However for Sioux City, as promising as that inning seemed that would be their lone run of the game. In fact the Explorers had a promising four hits through the first three innings. Including a one out double by Nate Samson in the third. But that two-bagger would be the last hit the Explorers had on the evening. Texas pitchers would go on to retire the next 18 straight Explorers that came to the plate. Sioux City’s only other base runner in the game was a one out walk in the ninth inning by Jeremy Hazelbaker. 

After going on the second longest winning streak in team franchise history of 12 games, the Explorers have come to a screeching halt as the offense has gone ice cold. In their last 18 innings at the plate, Sioux City has only been able to scratch out a single run on just six hits. 

Texas despite the win did not set the world on fire with their offense either. They would tie the game in the third as Jonathan Moroney was able to reach on a single and score on a two out base knock by Matt Dean to make it 1-1. But even Texas would go four and two-thirds innings hitless against Sioux City pitching. 

That pitching was lead by Pete Tago who making his fifth start of the season for the Explorers was once again excellent. He would get a no decision but was able to toss seven innings of one run ball while scattering seven hits and a walk and striking out six. 

But in the ninth Texas would use the bottom half of their order to finish off Sioux City in dramatic fashion. Chen Junpeng lead off his third inning of the night with a base hit. He advanced to second on a ground ball. And Yang Jin was able to get one just out of the reach of X’s second baseman Drew Stankiewicz and into centerfield to score Junpeng and win the game for the Airhogs. 

The Explorers will look to get the offense going and to get back into the win column on Sunday with first pitch set for 6:05 pm. Sioux City sends Carlos Sierra to the mound against Zhang Tao for the Texas Airhogs.