X's Win Tenth Straight by Striking out Wingnuts
July 7, 2018 - American Association (AA)
Sioux City Explorers News Release
Sioux City, IA - The Sioux City Explorers won their tenth straight game, by striking out a season high 14 batters in a 4-2 victory over the Wichita Wingnuts.
The X's started the scoring in the first inning the usual Sioux City Explorer way as they manufactured a run. Luis Durango reached on a bunt and then got to third on a hit and run when Michael Lang singled to center field and Jay Austin drove him home with a sacrifice fly to center field making it 1-0 Sioux City.
The X's would strike again in the second when Jay Baum lead the inning off with a double. Dexture McCall then walked. Dylan Kelly drove home his 33rd RBI of the year with a single bringing home Baum. And Durango drove home McCall on a sac fly to center field. The X's after two innings lead 3-0.
Wichita scratched out a run in the third when Nick Rotola reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Logan Watkins then also reached on an infield single and with Rotola at third Zach Nehrir grounded out to the pitcher but it allowed the run to score making it 3-1 Sioux City.
The Explorers though would answer that run in their own half of the third as Austin lead off with an infield single. Nate Samson then reached on a base hit. Baum then padded his league lead in RBI's by notching his 45th of the season with a single to left scoring Austin and making it 4-1 X's.
Wichita scored in the fourth inning when John Nester reached on a one out double and then scored on an error by Jay Austin in center field. Both runs were allowed by Explorers starter James Dykstra though none were earned against him.
Dykstra would leave his start early though with an apparent injury to his throwing hand. Dykstra went 3.2 innings, allowing the 2 runs though none earned on 3 hits, striking out 3 and walking just one.
Ryan Flores replaced Dykstra and would pick up the win in this one. Flores (4-0) went 3 innings, for Sioux City allowing only two base runners on a walk and a hit and struck out 6 batters.
Flores actually started a streak for Sioux City where they recorded the next 11 outs of the ball game with the strike out. Leading to the Explorers to notch a new season high of 14 strike outs in a ball game. The X's already lead the lead in K's coming into the game and now have 397 strike outs on the season.
Wichita did threaten to tie the game in the ninth inning against Sioux City closer Eric Karch as after a two out double with a man aboard by new comer for the Wingnuts Nick Rotola the Explorers decided to intentionally walk Logan Watkins and elected to face Zach Nehrir. Karch got Nehrir to pop out to right field to end the ball game picking up his seventh save of the season.
With the win the X's won their 10th game in a row, it is just the fifth time in franchise history that they have reached at least 10 wins on a winning streak.
Sioux City will take on Wichita in game two of the series on Saturday night as Taylor Jordan will take the ball for Sioux City against Casey Harman with first pitch scheduled for 7:05.
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