SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Sioux City Explorers (17-22) won 7-6 over the Sioux Falls Canaries (22-15) in the series finale. The Explorers had big games from Scott Ota and Daniel Perez while the bullpen locked down for the win.
The Explorers started with hot bats as they took the lead in the bottom of the first on a wild pitch from Sioux Falls starter Ryan Zimmerman (3-3), allowing Sioux City’s Nick Shumpert to cross and giving the X’s a 1-0 advantage. Sioux City’s Daniel Montano followed with an RBI groundout, sending home Ota and making it 2-0. The next at-bat, new Explorer Cameron Cannon picked up an RBI double in his first plate appearance for the team, sending home John Nogowski and extending the lead to 3-0.
In the top of the third, the Canaries cut into the deficit with a two-run shot from Sioux Falls’ Trevor Achenbach off Sioux City starter Nick McClanahan, scoring Josh Rehwaldt and making it 3-2.
The lead grew back to two for the X’s in the bottom of the fourth when Sioux City’s Perez hit his first home run of the season off Sioux Falls’ Zimmerman, bringing the lead to 4-2.
The Canaries responded with a big top of the fifth, with Sioux Falls’ Achenbach starting with a leadoff dinger off Sioux City reliever Pedro Gonzalez, making it a 4-3 game. Later in the inning, the Canaries snagged their first lead of the game thanks to Scott Combs ripping another home run, sending around Liam Spence and making it 5-4.
In the bottom of the fifth, the X’s hit back with Sioux City’s Ota tying the game on a leadoff no-doubter to right field off Sioux Falls’ Zimmerman, knotting it 5-5. Later in the frame, Sioux City’s Perez had an RBI single, sending home Montano and giving the X’s a 6-5 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Explorers added insurance when Sioux City’s Ota ripped an RBI triple to right field off Sioux Falls’ Christian Johnson, waving around Nick Shumpert and making it 7-5.
The Canaries kept it interesting in the top of the eighth with Sioux Falls’ Rehwaldt hitting a two-out homer off Sioux City’s Kyle Marman, cutting the X’s lead to 7-6.
Despite the one-run game, the Explorers managed to take the win as Sioux City’s Marman returned in the ninth, completing a two-inning save (4) and helping the X’s salvage the final game of the Siouxland Series.
The Explorers will be off Monday June 24 and begin a seven game road trip Tuesday June 25 in Kansas City against the Monarchs. The first pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.
