ROSEMONT, Ill. – It was a Sunday Funday in Chicago where Jered Wetherbee (1-0) tossed a quality start, and the Explorers (3-6) racked up 11 hits in a 5-2 win over the Chicago Dogs (5-4) in the final game of a three-game series.
In the bottom of the third, Brantley Bell had a two-out triple and would score on a wild pitch by Wetherbee to take the 1-0 lead for Chicago. That would be the only run allowed by Wetherbee, who would hold the Dogs offense to one hit over the next three innings.
In the top of the fifth inning the Explorers got their offense going. With two outs, Daniel Lingua doubled, and Chicago’s starter Brooks Gosswein (0-2) walked John Nogowski to put runners at first and second. Scott Ota then delivered a bases-clearing double to left center field, scoring Lingua and Nogowski, giving the Explorers a 2-1 lead.
Wetherbee took control from there, retiring the next six batters he faced and would exit the game holding Chicago to two hits and striking out nine. The lefty retired eight in a row after a fourth inning single for the Dogs Dusty Stroup.
In the eighth inning, Sioux City blew the game wide open. Daniel Perez would reach on a bunt single off reliever Matt Walker. Nick Shumpert would double to put runners at second and third. Henderson Perez picked up his first RBI of the season on a sac fly to center field, making it 3-1 Sioux City. Chicago would summon Ean Walda into the game from the bullpen. Chase Harris would work a walk off Walda then Lingua drove in a pair with a double off the wall in left to make it 5-1 Explorers.
Chicago got a run back in the eighth inning off the X’s Zach Willeman. Nick Dalesandro would walk to start the inning. He would then steal second and go to third on a tough luck error on shortstop Delvin Zinn. Zinn would go to apply a swipe tag on the runner only to see the ball fly out of his glove on the attempt and roll to shallow left field allowing Dalesandro to race to third base. Pavin Park would drive the runner home on a fielder’s choice to short to make it 5-2 in favor of Sioux City. Willeman worked two innings of relief, surrendering one run with four strikeouts, followed by Nate Gercken who worked a 1-2-3 ninth to notch his first save of the season.
The Explorers continue their first road trip of the season with game one of a three game series Monday night at 6:45 p.m. against the Gary SouthShore Railcats at the Steel Yard in Gary, Indiana. The team will return home Friday May 24 to face the Chicago Dogs.
