SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Sioux City Explorers couldn’t end the losing streak Monday night as they fell 8-5 to the Lincoln Saltdogs. The Explorers never gave up, threatening several times throughout the game, but couldn’t get the big inning they were looking for as they left 12 runners on base throughout the game.
The Explorers started the game on the board, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a wild pickoff attempt to first base from Lincoln starter Karan Patel (1-0) that sent Sioux City’s Daniel Lingua home.
The next score came from the Saltdogs in the bottom of the second when Explorers’ starter Jared Wetherbee (0-1) was tagged for his first and only run of the game on an RBI single from Lincoln’s Aaron Takacs that sent Gary Mattis home, knotting it 1-1.
The game remained tied at one into the sixth inning. Evan Johnson took over for Wetherbee in the fifth inning while Patel would work five innings before the Saltdogs pen was summoned.
In the top of the sixth, Lincoln’s Nick Anderson broke the tie with a sac fly off Sioux City’s Johnson, scoring Jack Dragum and giving the Saltdogs a 2-1 advantage. Lincoln’s Dakota Conners followed up the next at-bat with an RBI single, sending around Luke Roskam with it and making it 3-1 Saltdogs. With runners on second and third, Explorers’ Johnson missed the plate with a wild pitch, giving another run to Lincoln as Saltdogs’ Aaron Takacs came home, extending the lead to 4-1. After walking Lincoln’s Marshall Awtry and Zane Zurbrugg, Explorers’ Johnson was relieved for Brandon Brosher with the bases loaded. Following the change, Lincoln’s Drew Devine ripped a bases clearing double, sending home Conners, Awtry, and Zurbrugg to make it 7-1 before Brosher worked out of the frame.
In the bottom of the sixth, the X’s started their way back when Sioux City’s Nick Shumpert scored on a wild pitch from Lincoln’s Walter Borkovich, cutting the deficit to 7-2. Explorers’ rookie Zac Vooletich followed with an RBI single off Borkovich, putting Scott Ota across the plate and making it 7-3.
The Saltdogs didn’t make it easy on the X’s, adding another run to their total on a bases loaded walk from Lincoln’s Marshall Awtry issued by Sioux City’s Nate Gercken in the top of the seventh, putting them back up five, 8-3.
The X’s kept chipping away, scoring once in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single from Daniel Perez off Saltdogs’ reliever David Zoz, cutting the deficit to 8-4. Despite the run, they left the bases loaded when Sioux City’s Vooletich grounded out.
After a shutout top of the eighth, the Explorers managed another run in the bottom of the frame thanks to a bases loaded walk to Sioux City’s John Nogowski which plated Delvin Zinn and made it 8-5. With the bases still loaded, the X’s couldn’t score any more after Scott Ota popped out to end the inning.
In the top of the ninth, Zach Willeman dealt a shutout frame for the X’s, but it wasn’t enough as Lincoln’s Brandon McCabe came in and earned the save (1) for the Saltdogs.
The Explorers continue their season opening homestand with game two of a three game series with the Lincoln Saltdogs Tuesday night with the first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. at Mercy One Field at Lewis and Clark Park.
