FARGO, N. D. – The Sioux City Explorers (24-28) couldn’t find a way to win against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (32-21) Tuesday night, falling in the second game of the four-game series 8-3. The X’s took the lead early, but the RedHawks rallied quickly after and never looked back.
The Explorers started scoring in the top of the first behind an RBI single from Sioux City’s Last Man In candidate, Osvaldo Martinez, off Fargo’s Last Man In candidate, Tyler Grauer, giving the X’s a 1-0 lead.
With two outs in the bottom of the second, a hit-by-pitch followed by a single from the RedHawks put runners on the corners. Sioux City catcher Jake Ortega tried to pick off Kona Quiggle on a snap throw to first, but it sailed down the line, allowing Fargo’s Chiu to score and sending Quiggle to third in a tie ball game. After that, Fargo’s Sam Dexter singled off Sioux City starter Braunny Munoz, sending home Quiggle and giving the RedHawks a 2-1 lead. Fargo’s Evan Alexander kept the two-out rally alive the next at-bat, ripping a double and sending around Dexter to extend the lead to 3-1. The RedHawks added one more the next plate appearance when Fargo’s Ismael Alcantara hit an RBI single off Sioux City’s Munoz, driving in Alexander and making it 4-1.
The RedHawks extended the lead after a couple of scoreless frames in the bottom of the fifth when Peter Brookshaw notched an RBI single off Sioux City’s Munoz, sending home Evan Alexander and extending their lead to 5-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, the RedHawks added another run when Fargo’s Marcus Chiu led off with a double before being driven in by a Dexter sacrifice fly off Sioux City’s Munoz, making it 6-1.
The X’s started to cut into the deficit in the top of the seventh, starting with an RBI single from Sioux City’s Scott Ota off Fargo reliever Kolby Kiser, sending home Chase Harris and making it 6-2. The Explorers cut the lead to 6-3 after that as Sioux City’s John Nogowski picked up an RBI single off Fargo reliever Garrett Alexander, driving in Daniel Lingua.
A response came from the RedHawks in the bottom of the seventh when Fargo’s Brookshaw hit an RBI single off new Sioux City reliever Jeremy Goins, sending home Alcantara and extending the RedHawks lead to 7-3. Later in the frame, Fargo’s Chiu made it an 8-3 game by waving around Peter Brookshaw on an RBI double off Sioux City’s Goins.
Neither team scored from there, with Sioux City seeing a perfect eighth from reliever Santiago Florez but being bested by Fargo’s Alexander and closer Alex DuBord, who finished off the win for the RedHawks.
The Explorers continue their six-game road trip Wednesday night July 10 with game three of a four-game series against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo, North Dakota. The first pitch is set for 7:02 p.m.
