RedHawks Soar Past X’s in Wild Shootout
September 1, 2022 – American Association (AA) – Sioux City Explorers News Release
Sioux City, IA – The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks scored three times in the ninth inning to take a wild barn burner of a game from the Sioux City Explorers 11-10 to force a rubber game.
After both starting pitchers set down the first six batters the bats awoke in the third.
Fargo put together a four run rally in the top half of the third. Loading the bases with one out Manuel Boscan drove in the games first run by reaching on a fielder’s choice. A Drew Ward RBI single set the table for a two-run double from Leobaldo Pina to give Fargo a 4-0 lead.
The X’s answered back immediately in the bottom of the third with a two-out rally. Danry Vasquez and Trey Martin both drove in runs with RBI singles and were both on base when Gabe Snyder crushed a three-run homer over the centerfield fence to suddenly hand Sioux City a 5-4 lead.
Sioux City retained the lead until the top of the fifth. Ward drove in Boscan with a double to tie it. John Silviano broke the tie with a two run homer to left, handing the Hawks a 7-5 lead.
In the sixth Sioux City tied the ball game up with a pair of runs. Chase Harris cut the deficit to one with a sacrifice fly to center field and Blake Tiberi tied it on a base hit to center. A double play quickly ended the Sioux City threat.
Once again in the seventh Fargo and Sioux City traded the lead and runs. A Pina single with two outs in the top half of the inning regained the lead for the RedHawks 8-7. Sioux City got RBI singles from Ademar Rifaela and former RedHawk Dylan Kelly to take a 9-8 lead. But a larger rally was once again cut short by a double play.
In the eighth the X’s padded their lead. Tiberi singled to lead off the inning. Danny Amaral bunted for a single, the throw towards first was high, creating an error that allowed Tiberi to score from first and giving Sioux City a 10-8 advantage.
Amaral on the play advanced to second and later in the inning stole third base. It was his league leading 46th stolen base of the season. The stolen bag broke the single season franchise record that had previously been held by Michael Lang (45, 2015).
Amaral however was stranded at third to end the inning keeping Sioux City’s lead at just two runs, 10-8.
In the top of the ninth, a lead off single and a walk set the table for Peter Maris who crushed the first pitch he saw deep down the right field line for a three run homer, giving Fargo the lead 11-10. It was Maris’ fifth home run against Sioux City this season.
In the bottom of the ninth Alex Dubord (23) collected the save to finish off the win for Fargo. The loss was handed to the X’s Thomas McIlraith (5-5) who pitched the ninth. The win went to the RedHawks Luke Lind (7-3) who tossed an inning and two-thirds of relief.
With the loss coupled by a Lincoln Saltdogs victory over Sioux Falls, the Explorers magic number remains at 4 and they are two games up on Lincoln for the final wild card spot in the West Division.
First pitch of the rubber game of the series is set for 7:05 pm on Thursday with southpaw Patrick Ledet (5-4, 4.55) on the rubber for Sioux City and righty Davis Feldman (6-5, 4.98) on the other side for the RedHawks. After the series finale with Fargo, the Explorers will play a four game series with the Lincoln Saltdogs to finish the season.
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