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El Paso Unable To Finish Sweep As Explorers Win Wild One

July 1, 2012 - American Association (AA)
El Paso Diablos News Release


SIOUX CITY, IA- The Diablos twice held leads in the seventh inning or later but could not hold on to either advantage as the Sioux City Explorers won a topsy-turvy contest by a final score of 6-5, salvaging the final game of a three game series.

El Paso's seventh inning lead of 4-2 and ninth inning lead of 5-4 both vanished as the Explorers refused to go down quietly, eventually winning in extras on Peter Barrows' walk off home run in the tenth off Ronny Morla (2-4).

The Diablos struck first on Maikol Gonzalez's sacrifice fly in the third off Explorers starter Alain Quijano to take a 1-0 lead, but Sioux City tied the game on a balk by El Paso hurler Reymond Cruz in the bottom half of the same inning. The Explorers then forged ahead on a sac fly of their own in the sixth off the bat of Ryan Priddy.

The Diablos rallied valiantly off Quijano and reliever Eddie de la Cruz in the seventh, taking a 4-2 lead on Jordan Marks' two-run single and adding another run on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Gonzalez. Patrick Arlis, the back runner, scored on Marks' single with a headfirst hook slide, avoiding the tag of Sioux City catcher Ray Serrano.

The Explorers would tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, however. After the first two runners reached against reliever Reyes Dorado, Brian Bistang singled in a run to cut the lead to 4-3. Brandon Newton's sac fly tied the score the very next batter, sending the game into the eighth all knotted up.

The Diablos again rallied to take the lead that very inning. Jonathan Cisneros was hit by a pitch with two outs and nobody on base, and scored on Arlis' RBI double to give El Paso a 5-4 lead.

Leading by one run, Marcel Prado could not finish the game off and earn his sixth save. Another RBI hit by Bistang tied the game, which went to extra innings when, with the bases loaded. J.J. Muse caught a fly ball for the second out and proceeded to fire home and nail runner Kris Sanchez at the plate for an inning ending double play.

After a scoreless top of the tenth, Barrows ended the game with his one out longball off the scoreboard at Lewis and Clark Park, winning the game for Sioux City and giving the victory to reliever Chris Bodishbaugh (1-1).

The Diablos fall to 12-29 but finish 4-2 on the road trip and now return home for an eight-game home stand against the Laredo Lemurs and the Worcester Tornadoes.

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