X's Walk-Off Cleburne Again to Win Series
June 1, 2025 - American Association (AA)
Sioux City Explorers News Release
SIOUX CITY, Iowa - In a back-and-forth thriller between two of the American Association's hottest clubs, the Sioux City Explorers (14-8) walked off the Cleburne Railroaders (13-9) with an 8-7 victory to take the series. Josh Day delivered the decisive blow with a two-run double in the ninth, capping off the X's fourth walk-off win of the season and their second in three days.
Lefty Austin Drury (1-1) took the hill for the X's in the rubber match against Cleburne and was brilliant through six innings. The University of North Florida alum allowed a lead-off single to Shed Long Jr in the top of the first and went on to retire the next 13 hitters.
His offense got right to work, picking up one run in each of the first four innings against Cleburne's starter Austin Faith (1-1). Henry George had doubles in his first two at-bats, scoring on both trips through the order. It looked as if Sioux City was headed for a series victory, but Austin Drury began to show some fatigue.
Drury allowed a solo home run to Korry Howell in the top of the fifth inning. He walked two straight batters later in the inning but ultimately pitched himself out of the jam. He seemed to rediscover his groove with a 1-2-3 frame in the sixth, but the easy ride wouldn't continue into the seventh.
The first five Railroader hitters in the top of the fifth reached base. They all scored. Steven Rivas singled, Howell, Cooper Weiss, and Anthony Brocato all walked, and Andres Sosa sent a 2-run double down the line, tying the game at four.
The X's went to the bullpen after the second walk of the frame and brought Jeremy Goins into the contest. After giving up the double, Goins recorded two outs and was lifted for the lefty Chase Jessee.
Jessee faced just two batters but allowed his inherited runner to score on a single by the newly christened American Association Player of the Month, Kyle Martin. That was the fifth run to cross the plate in the inning, the second time in as many days the Explorers surrendered five runs in an inning.
Cleburne tacked on a run in the eighth to increase the lead to 7-4, but Sioux City's offense wasn't finished quite yet.
Abdiel Layer walked to start the frame, and Josh Day tripled him in. D'Shawn Knowles popped and Nick Shumpert walked, placing runners at the corners with just one out for pinch-hitter Torin Montgomery.
The former Missouri Tiger grounded to third base, but it was deep enough for Day to cross the plate. The X's created a 7-6 ball game heading into the ninth inning.
Felix Cepeda pitched the top half of the inning for the Explorers and retired the side in order, racking up two strikeouts along the way.
With one out in the last of the ninth, Zac Vooletich singled to left and Luis Toribio blooped one into center, moving the tying run into scoring position. The next batter Abdiel Layer poked a 1-2 pitch through the hole into right field for a base hit. Steve Montgomery waved around Vooletich, who was gunned down at the plate by Brocato for the second out, saving the game for the Railroaders.
Day came to the plate with runners at second and third as the last hope for the X's with a chance to win the game with a single. He did just that.
The Mississippi-native blasted a 1-2 fastball deep to right field that just missed going over the wall for a walk-off double as both Toribio and Layer scored. This was the X's fourth walk-off win of the season and the second of the series.
With the victory, the X's finished 4-2 in back-to-back series against first place teams in the American Association.
Notes from the Booth:
-The Explorers had two walk off wins in the series.
-Sioux City stole seven bases in the series and have 16 over their last seven games.
-Josh Day has two of the three walk off RBI hits for the Explorers.
-Felix Cepeda had his 11th appearance Sunday which ties him for second in the AA.
- Day drove in three runs and was the fifth time this season he has had a multi RBI game. That leads the team.
The Explorers will be off Monday June 2 but will be back in action on Tuesday night in game one of a three game series against the Sioux Falls Canaries at Sioux Falls Stadium at 6:35 p.m. The game can be heard on radio at KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360 AM and the video stream will air on aabaseball.tv. Ticket packages for the 2025 season are on sale now, including Full and Half-Season Tickets as well as 10-, 15-, and 25-game Flex Packs. More information is available by calling 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.
TUNE INTO ALL THE EXPLORERS ACTION ON KSCJ AND AABASEBALL.TV.
American Association Stories from June 1, 2025
- Clutch Single by O'Tremba Leads Goldeyes to Series Win - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- X's Walk-Off Cleburne Again to Win Series - Sioux City Explorers
- Chicago Scores 12 Unanswered Runs, Takes Series from RailCats - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Cougars Combine for No-Hitter and Take Series against Saltdogs - Kane County Cougars
- Cougar Pitchers Quiet Lincoln Offense - Lincoln Saltdogs
- Gilliam Crowns Monarchs Sweep - Kansas City Monarchs
- Canaries Comeback Falls Short, Swept in Kansas City - Sioux Falls Canaries
- Explorers Add J.D. Scholten to Active Roster - Sioux City Explorers
- Lincoln Wins Extra-Inning Thriller - Lincoln Saltdogs
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