Explorers Walk off Before Monarchs Strike Back in Finale
AA Sioux City Explorers

Explorers Walk off Before Monarchs Strike Back in Finale

August 1, 2025 - American Association (AA)
Sioux City Explorers News Release


Sioux City Explorers celebrate a walk off win
Sioux City Explorers celebrate a walk off win
(Sioux City Explorers, Credit: Tim Tushla)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa- Sioux City Explorers (47-25) stormed back to win a suspended extra-inning thriller 9-8 over the Kansas City Monarchs (41-31) before falling 3-2 in ten innings in the series finale. The rivals traded haymakers across two tense finishes, wrapping up a heavyweight showdown with a split.

The Explorers resumed the suspended game trailing 8-4 in the bottom of the eighth, the first extra frame, with the bases loaded and none out. Luis Toribio pinch hit for Zac Vooletich as Josh Bortka (1-2) took over on the mound for Steffon Moore.

Toribio crushed Bortka's 2-2 offering in the signature moment of the 2025 season, tying the game at eight with a grand slam over the wall in right. D'Shawn Knowles and Josh Day both singled and stole their way into scoring position, bringing up Torin Montgomery with a chance to win the game, still with no outs.

Montgomery delivered, lifting a fly ball to center field that was plenty deep enough for Knowles to score, and gave the X's their tenth straight series win, finishing off a seven-run extra-inning performance. With the victory, Steve Montgomery notched his 600th career win as the manager of the Sioux City Explorers.

Box Score Gm 1

The final game of the three-game set saw the Monarchs score a first-inning run. Blake Rutherford added another for Kansas City with an RBI single in the third before the Explorers picked up their first hit of the contest.

Kurtis Byrne broke up the no-hitter with a single and sparked a small rally in the third, scoring on Josh Day's RBI single. Tensions had been high the entire series, but the benches cleared following the frame, forcing the umpires to warn both dugouts.

The rivals traded zeros over the subsequent few frames as Drury settled in, but Josh Hendrickson hiccuped in the sixth. Abdiel Layer stepped the dish with two on and two out, and tomahawked a game-tying single into left field.

Steve Montgomery removed his starter with one out in the seventh, calling upon right-handed specialist Brett Matthews, who got through the seventh and recorded two outs in the eighth before handing the ball over to setup man Chase Jessee. The left-hander struck out Ryan Leitch to keep the game tied. Sioux City went quietly in its half of the eighth, as a 2-2 score remained heading into the final frame.

Despite walking two hitters in the inning, the theatrical Jessee sawed through a scoreless ninth, finishing off his electrifying outing with an enormous strikeout of former Explorer John Nogowski. The all-star set up another walk-off opportunity for the Explorers, but his offense went down in order against Patrick Pridgen (2-3), sending the game into extra innings for the second night in a row.

Closer Felix Cepeda (4-2) toed the rubber in the tenth as Nogowski took his place as the zombie runner at second base. Jaylyn Williams failed on the sacrifice bunt attempt, popping up to Montgomery for the first out, but Nogowski slyly stole third to make up for it.

Rutherford, the next hitter, sent a fly ball to shallow center. Austin Davis made the catch and fired to the plate with Nogowski tagging. The ball handcuffed Byrne at the plate and skipped past him, allowing Nogowski to score and Kansas City to take a 3-2 lead.

Left-hander Steffon Moore emerged from the bullpen in the bottom of the frame as Landen Barns headed to second base, representing the tying run. Nick Shumpert led off the tenth, but couldn't get the bunt down and struck out to open the inning.

Davis bounced back to the box for out number two, holding Barns at second. George was the last hope for the X's and sent a humpback liner out to right field, but Rutherford made an outstanding diving catch to end the game and help the Monarchs salvage the final game of this series.

Box Score Gm 2

The Explores begin a new three-game series Friday night August 1 against the Lincoln Saltdogs. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. at Haymarket Park. 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 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 X's have a league best 47-25 record.

-Henry George on base streak was snapped at 24 games.

-The Explorers won the season series over the Monarchs 7-5.

-It was the fourth season in a row that Sioux City has won the head to head over Kansas City.

-The X's are 17-7 in one run games and are 28-13 in games decided by two runs or less.

-Sioux City went 18-7 in July.

-The Explorers are 7-4 in extra-inning games.

-Sioux City stole 10 bases in the series to up their season total to 179. They need 21 more to tie last season's total.

-The win in the first game was the 600th win for Sioux City Manager Steve Montgomery. He is now 600-471.

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Images from this story

Sioux City Explorers celebrate a walk off win
Sioux City Explorers celebrate a walk off win
(Tim Tushla)		   



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