Sioux City Too Much For Blasters On Tuesday Night
August 10, 2016 - American Association (AA)
Joplin Blasters News Release
The Joplin Blasters trailed from the start on Tuesday night, and fell to the Sioux City Explorers, 8-2, at Joe Becker Stadium. The Explorer victory evened the series at a game a piece, and was Sioux City's fourth win in five tries against the Blasters.
Sioux City wasted no time in scoring the game's opening run. Derrick Robinson and Michael Lang started the game with consecutive infield singles, and a double steal put runners on second and third with no outs. After starter Luis Gonzalez induced a shallow flyout, LeVon Washington drove in Robinson with a sacrifice fly to left field.
The top of the fourth inning proved to be the biggest of the game for Sioux City, who scored four runs on four hits during the frame. Back-to-back-to-back one out singles by Tim Colwell, Brendan Slattery, and Ralph Henriquez loaded the bases for the Explorers. Two runs crossed the plate on a double by Tommy Mendonca, and another scored on a Bryan Johns sacrifice fly. The scoring concluded with another RBI double, this one off the bat of Robinson.
Brandon Tierney, the hero from Monday night's contest, came up with Joplin's only major output in the bottom of the sixth. Will Soto drew a walk to lead off the inning, and a subsequent groundout put Soto on second and sent Tierney to the plate. The second-year pro drilled his third homer in a Joplin uniform with a two-run shot to left center field. Tierney's longball, the fourth total during his 2016 campaign, pulled the Blasters within 5-2.
Unfortunately for the Blasters, Sioux City immediately answered with two runs in the top of the seventh. A Robinson single and a Lang walk placed two runners on base for Nate Samson, who drove in Robinson with a single. Washington made the score 7-2 with his second sacrifice fly of the game.
The scoring concluded in the top of the eighth inning, courtesy of the sole Explorer home run of the contest. Slattery clubbed a 3-1 pitch from Roby Romero over the right field wall for his second home run of the season, a solo shot that plated the final run of the night. Sioux City was held off the board in the ninth, as Missouri Southern product Axel Johnson tossed a scoreless frame.
Cody Forsythe earned his eighth victory of the season for the Explorers, while Luis Gonzalez saw his Blaster mark fall to 1-3. Rob Wort and Dylan Rheault combined on three scoreless innings to finish the game for Sioux City.
Wednesday night, the series finale will feature Santos Arias taking the mound for the Blasters. The contest is slated for a 7:05 first pitch at Joe Becker Stadium.
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