SIOUX CITY, Iowa –The Winnipeg Goldeyes (25-24) claimed the series against the Sioux City Explorers (22-25) with a decisive 17-7 victory Thursday night. The fireworks started early for the Goldeyes as they picked up all 17 of their runs in the first two innings.
The game started with a bang as Winnipeg’s Ramon Bramasco ripped a leadoff homer off Sioux City’s Braunny Munoz (4-2) before Roby Enriquez went back-to-back, making it 2-0. The Goldeyes then hit back-to-back singles and Rob Emery blew the game open with a three-run shot, sending home Max Murphy and Miles Simington and extending the lead to 5-0. Later in the frame, Winnipeg’s Andy Armstrong and Bramasco each picked up an RBI before Roby Enriquez cracked his second home run of the inning, a two-run shot off Munoz that made it 9-0 in the top of the first.
The offense for the Goldeyes continued in the second, starting with an RBI single from Winnipeg’s Emery off Sioux City reliever Nick McClanahan before Dayson Croes rounded for home on a wild pitch, extending the lead to 11-0. Later in the same plate appearance, Winnipeg’s Bramasco launched his second dinger of the game, a three-run shot off McClanahan, making it 14-0. After a walk and single off Sioux City’s McClanahan, Pedro Gonzalez came in to turn the tide. Winnipeg’s Simington proceeded to hit a three-run homer of his own before Gonzalez got out of the frame with the score 17-0 Goldeyes.
The X’s couldn’t get back into the game despite putting up a few runs, starting with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the second from Sioux City’s Daniel Montano off Winnipeg starter Travis Seabrooke (3-1).
In the bottom of the third, Sioux City’s Daniel Lingua hit an RBI double before Scott Ota knocked a two-RBI single off Seabrooke, cutting the lead to 17-4. Later in the frame, Osvaldo Martinez sent an RBI double to right before Chase Harris sent an RBI single to right, making it 17-6.
The Explorers added one final run in the bottom of the sixth when Sioux City’s Montano hit a sac fly off Winnipeg’s Tasker Strobel, sending home Ota and making it 17-7.
From there, both pitching staffs locked it down without any more runs being scored the rest of the game.
The Explorers will begin a three game series with the Milwaukee Milkmen Friday night July 5 with a first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.
