Explorers' Sweep Bid Falls Short
Published on July 24, 2026 under American Association (AA)
Sioux City Explorers News Release
LINCOLN, NE - Sioux City (26-32) couldn't complete the sweep on Thursday night, falling 3-0 to Lincoln (26-33).
Early on, it was a duel between Nathan Mertens and Jacob Hughes, with only one baserunner reaching third in the first three innings and just four combined hits allowed.
Lincoln broke through in the fourth when Jairo Pomares led off with a double and, with two outs, Calyn Halvorson singled him home for a 1-0 lead.
Mertens escaped trouble in the fifth with runners at the corners, inducing a flyout to left to end the inning. He finished his second professional start with 5.1 innings, seven strikeouts, and just one earned run.
Sioux City's first extra - base hit didn't come until the seventh, when Alberto Osuna doubled, but Zane Denton struck out to strand him.
Lincoln added to its lead in the bottom half as Cam Phelts scored on a wild pitch from Kelvin Caceres to make it 2-0.
Hughes was sharp for Lincoln, tossing seven scoreless innings with four hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts.
Sioux City's best chance came in the eighth when Cade Marquardt doubled and reached third on a wild pitch, but Austin Davis and Zac Vooletich struck out to end the threat.
Tanner O'Tremba capped the night with a solo home run in the eighth to make it 3-0, sealing the win for Lincoln.
Sioux City opens a three - game series against Kansas City on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 6:05 p.m. on KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360 AM. Fans can also watch every American Association game this season on the league's streaming platform at aabaseball.tv. Tickets for all remaining games are available now by calling the Explorers front office at 712-277-WINS or online at xsbaseball.com.
Notes from the Booth with DV:
-Sioux City finished the trip 2-4.
-It was the second shutout on the road trip by a Sioux City opponent.
-Nathan Mertens struck out a personal season high seven.
-The Explorers fell a game and a half behind Winnipeg for the fourth playoff spot.
-The Explorers had one extra base hit a double by Alberto Osuna.
American Association Stories from July 24, 2026
- Explorers Return Home for an out of this World Weekend - Sioux City Explorers
- Lynch Leads Goldeyes Past Canaries - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- Explorers' Sweep Bid Falls Short - Sioux City Explorers
- Dogs Drop Series Finale - Chicago Dogs
- Hughes Shines as Saltdogs Snap Losing Streak - Lincoln Saltdogs
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