Explorers Win One, Lose One
June 19, 2025 - American Association (AA)
Sioux City Explorers News Release
Sioux City Explorers pitcher Chase Jessee
(Sioux City Explorers, Credit: Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks)
FARGO, N.D. - The Sioux City Explorers (24-14) split Thursday's action with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (19-18), winning the conclusion of a suspended game 3-2 before falling 4-3 in the series finale. After taking the opener behind late heroics, the X's saw their six-game winning streak snapped as Fargo-Moorhead held off the ninth-inning comeback.
Parker Harm returned to the mound for the RedHawks in the top of the seventh. Kurtis Byrne singled down the right-field line, but the X's didn't bring him in. Chase Jessee (3-0) replaced Kyle Marman in the bottom of the frame and threw a zero on the scoreboard.
In the eighth inning, Jessee faced a two-on and one-out jam. He wriggled free and struck out Alec Olund and Robert Perez Jr to end the frame. The game stayed tied at two, heading into the ninth.
Garrett Alexander (0-1) and his 1.52 ERA over 14 appearances took over on the mound for Fargo-Moorhead. D'Shawn Knowles reached on an infield single, and Austin Davis bunted him into scoring position.
The next batter, Abdiel Layer, poked a ground ball to second base, pushing Knowles down to third base. Sioux City had gotten him over, but could they get him in?
Nick Shumpert, who had tied the game the night before the rain delay, just before the umpires suspended the game. The second baseman served a 1-0 pitch into right field, plating Knowles and pushing the Explorers in front 3-2.
Jessee popped back out of the dugout for his third inning of relief in the ninth and retired two batters before manager Steve Montgomery went to his closer Felix Cepeda to finish off the game. Cepeda faced Derek Maiben and struck him out on four pitches to earn his tenth save of the season.
The final game of the series began about 30 minutes after the conclusion of the suspended contest. The X's got right to work in the top of the first inning with singles from Austin Davis and Henry George, placing runners at the corners with no outs.
George then stole second, and Knowles rolled over to the right side, and Davis scored as the X's wasted no time taking the lead in the series finale. The RedHawks fought back in the bottom of the frame as Dillon Thomas sent one back up the middle to even the game at one.
Sioux City's starter, Austin Drury (3-1), let loose a wild pitch, and Fargo-Moorhead took the lead. The RedHawks tacked on another in the third inning to take a 3-1 advantage.
The X's offense came back to life in the fifth, putting runners on the corners with nobody out and a chance to tie the game or potentially take the lead. Only one run scored in the inning, and Sioux City was once again just a run behind.
Juan Fernandez immediately responded with a solo home run in the bottom of the frame. Sioux City pulled within one again with Abdiel Layer's sacrifice fly in the sixth, but RedHawks starting pitcher Kyle Crigger (5-2) got through the frame with the lead.
Fargo-Moorhead manager Chris Coste went to his bullpen first. The 2008 World Series champ handed the baseball to 28-year-old right-hander Kyle Johnston, who ripped off a 1-2-3 stanza.
The RedHawks scratched another run across in the seventh inning to go up 5-3. Austin Drury's day was done after the frame, pitching seven innings, surrendering three earned runs on nine hits, and striking out a season-low two batters.
The X's started a rally in the top of the ninth inning as Torin Montgomery walked and Nick Shumpert singled to open the frame. Closer, Colten Davis struck out Luis Toribio and Austin Davis, leaving Henry George as the last hope for the Explorers.
Davis retired George and broke Sioux City's six-game winning streak. The X's still managed to win another series, but Drury suffered his first loss of the season.
Notes from the Booth:
-The Explorers evened up the season series with Fargo-Moorhead at three game each.
-Nick Shmpert had the tying RBI and the winning RBI in back to back at bats in game two.
-The X's are 16-3 when scoring first.
-Sioux City is 10 games above .500 for the first time since July 7, 2021. Sioux City was briefly 11 games above before the start of game three of the series.
-D'Shawn Knowles reached an 11 game hitting streak following the suspended game. It was snapped in game two.
-Landen Barns had his first RBI as an Explorer in game two Thursday.
Sioux City will head to Winnipeg to face the Goldeyes in game one of a three game weekend series Friday night June 20 as the six game road trip continues. The game can be heard on radio at KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360 AM and the video stream will air on aabaseball.tv. The Explorers return home Tuesday June 24 to host the Winnipeg Goldeyes in game one of a three game series. Ticket packages for the 2025 season are on sale now, including Half-Season Tickets as well as 10-, 15-, and 25-game Flex Packs as well as group tickets. 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.
Images from this story
 Sioux City Explorers pitcher Chase Jessee (Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks) |
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