Explorers Reel in a Comeback Win
AA Sioux City Explorers

Explorers Reel in a Comeback Win

Published on August 16, 2025 under American Association (AA)
Sioux City Explorers News Release


SIOUX CITY, Iowa - After clinching a playoff spot on Wednesday night in Fargo, the Sioux City Explorers wanted to celebrate on their own field in front of their hometown fans. The club dropped the series opener on Friday night, and for most of the game Saturday night, it looked like the planned celebration might have to wait another day for the X's. But Abdiel Layer delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Sioux City Explorers (55-31) the lead over the Winnipeg Goldeyes (37-48), leading to a 6-5 comeback win for Sioux City at Lewis and Clark Park. The game featured late-game drama and a roaring finish, and Sioux City provided a needed burst of power, along with a bit of luck, along the way to set up a rubber match for tomorrow afternoon.

A pair of lefties stifled the offense over the first three frames. Sioux City's Jaren Jackson, making a spot start, faced one above the minimum while 35-year-old Mitchell Lambson kept pace, working around a first-inning jam to keep the Explorers off the board.

Winnipeg drew first blood

in the fourth inning. Jackson retired the first batter of the frame and forced Max Murphy to send one straight up the infield. Torin Montgomery called for the baseball, but he lost it in the sun. The ball hit the dirt, and Murphy stood at first with an unexpected base hit.

Miles Simington singled to right field on the next pitch, placing runners at first and second with one out. Matthew Warkentin stepped up next and blasted a double off the wall in right to break the scoreless tie. The following hitter, Rob Emery, rolled over third base, knocking in Simington with an RBI fielder's choice.

Montgomery brought X's back on one swing. D'Shawn Knowles and Josh Day smoked back-to-back singles with one, and after Maikol Escotto grounded to third, the hulking first baseman lumbered into the box. Montgomery crushed Lambson's 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for a three-run go-ahead blast.

The lead didn't last for long, however, as Jackson came out in the fifth looking for a shutdown inning, but he never made it out of the frame. Three straight base runners reached to open the frame as Ray-Patrick Didder delivered an RBI double to tie the ball game, and Jacob Robson followed with an RBI triple to give Winnipeg the lead.

The Goldeyes weren't finished, however, as manager Steve Montgomery turned to Ben DeTaeye to stop the bleeding. The left-hander issued a wild pitch to bring home another run as Winnipeg stretched the lead to 5-3.

Lambson held the X's off the board in the bottom of the fifth, but Knowles made him pay in the sixth. Knowles came into the ballgame hitting over .400 since July 13th, and he continued his torrid stretch with a solo home run that barely cleared the wall in left, pulling Sioux City within one.

Nate Gercken and Chase Jessee (8-1) tossed scoreless innings to keep the X's within one. Ryder Yakel (2-5), who took over for Lambson in the seventh, seemed poised to do the same for the Goldeyes. He stranded a pair in that seventh, but couldn't do the same in the eighth.

Day doubled to start the frame, but two outs later he was still stuck at second. Kurtis Byrne had a chance with two outs to tie the game, and he did so in an unorthodox style. The catcher bounced back to the mound, and Yakel hopped off the bump to snag the baseball, which he sailed down the right field line as Day scored from second to tie the game.

The X's held on to the momentum. Abdiel Layer came to bat next and worked the count full before slamming a single into center field on the payoff pitch to drive in Byrne and give the Explorers a 6-5 lead.

Felix Cepeda slammed the door shut in the ninth, locking down his league-best 22nd save of the season and igniting the Lewis & Clark Park crowd. With the clutch finish, the Explorers not only knotted up the weekend set but also drew even in the season series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes. Now, everything comes down to a Sunday 4:00 p.m. rubber match with bragging rights on the line.

The Explorers and Goldeyes play the final game of the three-game series Sunday afternoon August 17 at Lewis and Clark Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. and the gates will open at 3:00 p.m. The game can be heard on radio at KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360 AM and the video stream will air on aabaseball.tv. Tickets for all Explorers home games are available at the ticket office or going online at xsbaseball.com. For more information, please call the Explorers' front office at 712-277-WINS. Stay tuned to the Explorers' social media channels and the club's website, xsbaseball.com, for all our news and updates.

Notes from the Booth with DV:

-The series is tied 4-4.

-Felix Cepeda notched his league leading 22nd save and moved him into a tie for second all-time in Explorers history for saves in a season.

-Austin Davis stole his 48th and 49th base of the season that ties him for most in a single season.

-Davis now trails Jarius Richards of Gary SouthShore by two bases for the league lead.

-The X's have 228 stolen bases for the season.

-Josh Day had his team leading 26th multi-hit game.

-Sioux City now has a magic number of 11 for the West Division crown.

-Chase Jessee picked up his 8th win and is now tied for second in the league and the club.

-The X's have homered in four straight games.

TUNE INTO ALL THE EXPLORERS ACTION ON KSCJ AND AABASEBALL.TV

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