SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Sioux City Explorers couldn’t claim the series opener against the Winnipeg Goldeyes Tuesday night, falling 7-0. The Goldeyes used just two pitchers in the shutout as Joey Matulovich went seven scoreless before Joey Steele closed the deal. Sioux City’s Joey Murray started the game, allowing one run in the first five innings, but the X’s unraveled as the Goldeyes added six more to the board from the sixth inning on.
The Goldeyes took the lead in the top of the third with a sacrifice fly from Winnipeg’s Roby Enriquez off Sioux City starter Joey Murray after Cadyn Schwabe doubled to lead off the frame, giving the Goldeyes a 1-0 advantage.
Both Sioux City’s Murray and Winnipeg starter Joey Matulovich continued battling, without either team scoring again until the sixth inning when the Goldeyes added to their lead.
In the top of the sixth, the Goldeyes added to their advantage as Winnipeg’s Roby Enriquez led off with a single off Sioux City’s Murray before Max Murphy waved him home with an RBI triple, making it 2-0. The next plate appearance, Winnipeg’s Miles Simington drove in Murphy with an RBI single, extending the lead to 3-0 before Winnipeg’s Keshawn Lynch made it 4-0 later in the frame with a sac fly.
Sioux City’s Nate Gercken relieved Murray to begin the seventh, and after getting one out, the Goldeyes added another run on an RBI single from Winnipeg’s Simington, sending home Enriques and making it 5-0.
The Explorers went to the bullpen again in the top of the eighth with Sioux City’s John Sheaks relieving Gercken and pitching a perfect frame.
Winnipeg finally made the call to the ‘pen to start the eighth inning, turning to Joey Steele after seven dominant frames from Winnipeg’s Matulovich where he allowed just one hit with five strikeouts.
Jeremy Goins relieved Sioux City’s Sheaks for the ninth inning, and the Goldeyes added another two runs to make it 7-0 as Winnipeg’s Murphy picked up an RBI single and Croes hit a sac fly.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Goldeyes went back to Steele, who retired all three batters to secure the victory.
The Explorers will face the Winnipeg Goldeyes in game two of a three game series Wednesday night July 17 with a first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.
