Sioux City Falls in Pitcher Duel with Monarchs
August 20, 2021 - American Association (AA)
Sioux City Explorers News Release
Kansas City, KS - Sioux City dropped the rubber game of the series to the Kansas City Monarchs as they were blanked by Justin Donatella, 4-0.
Donatella (4-0) tossed the first complete game shutout of his career holding Sioux City to just two hits and a walk as he struck out nine. He at one point retired nine straight and ten straight and needed only 101 pitches to efficiently shut down the X's.
Kansas City was able to score two runs in the second inning as they walked the bases loaded and scored on a sacrifice fly from Alexis Olmeda and Colin Willis scored on a wild pitch.
Taking the loss for the Explorers was Jorge Oleaga (0-1) who made his professional debut going two innings, allowing two runs but no hits, he walked four and struck out two and left at the start of the third inning with an injury.
Replacing him was Jonah Smith who ended up tossing five innings of two run ball in relief allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out seven.
The two runs and two hits came on solo home runs, Will Kengor hit the first one in the third inning as the first batter that Smith faced. And Colin Willis smacked a solo shot in the fourth to push the Monarchs lead to 4-0.
That home run was the 128th of the season for the Monarchs, tying them for the American Association record for homers in a single season.
With a shutout inning from Tyler Koch in the eighth, the X's managed to hold Kansas City to only two hits in the contest. It was a season low for both the Monarchs and allowed by the X's as the three true rookie arms accomplished the feat.
Sioux City now rolls into a very important three game weekend series with the Cleburne Railroaders at the Depot with the series beginning on Friday night and first pitch at 7:06 pm.
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