Martin Powers Goldeyes over Explorers in Sioux City
SIOUX CITY, IA – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (31-31) beat the Sioux City Explorers 8-7 at Lewis and Clark Park on Tuesday night.
Trailing 7-6 in the top of the eighth, the Goldeyes scored twice on baserunning plays to take the lead. Max Murphy led off the inning with a triple to right-centre field. After an out was recorded, the Explorers brought in Nathan Gercken to relieve Danny Hrbek. Gercken walked Raul Navarro to put runners on the corners. Navarro stole second base, and on the ensuing throw to second, Murphy broke for home and scored ahead of Blake Tiberi’s return throw to catcher Mitch Ghelfi. Navarro was cut down between second and third on a Logan Hill groundball for the second out of the inning. Kevin Lachance then bunted for a single along the third base line, and Hill took third when third baseman LT Tolbert made an errant throw to first. Hill raced home with the lead run on a wild pitch by Gercken.
Nate Antone pitched a perfect bottom of the eighth while Jose Jose worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 10th save.
Travis Seabrooke (3-0) picked up the win in relief for the Goldeyes. Gercken (2-1) took the loss for the Explorers (35-28).
Sioux City jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a two-out, solo home run to left from Jose Sermo. It was Sermo’s 58th home run as an Explorer, which passed Nolan Lane for the franchise career record.
Winnipeg struck back in the top of the second. Kyle Martin doubled into the right field corner leading off. Two batters later, Logan Hill ripped a two-run, line drive home run to left-centre.
In the top of the third, Austin Rei came back from an 0-2 count to work a nine-pitch single to right-centre. Jay Gonzalez and Murphy added opposite-field singles to load the bases, setting up a grand slam to right-centre from Martin.
The Explorers chipped away with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back two-out, RBI hits from Lane Milligan and DJ Poteet. Sermo hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth that pulled Sioux City within 6-4.
The Explorers scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to take a 7-6 lead. With first and second and one out, a double steal forced an errant throw into centre field that scored Chase Harris and sent Chris Clare to third as the tying run. Sermo singled up the middle to score Clare, took second on a wild pitch, and came home with the lead run on a single to left from Tolbert.
Landen Bourassa started for the Goldeyes and took a no-decision, allowing four earned runs on three hits in four innings. Bourassa walked two and struck out three.
Brett Adcock started for the Explorers and also took a no-decision, allowing six earned runs on six hits in six innings. Adcock walked two and struck out six.
Goldeyes’ pitching retired the leadoff batter in all nine innings.
Game two of the three-game series is Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Jorge Gonzalez (2-3, 5.85) faces right-hander Jonah Smith (0-2, 7.48). All the action can be heard locally on CJNU 93.7 FM and worldwide at www.cjnu.ca
The Goldeyes play their 2021 home opener Tuesday, August 3rd against the Sioux City Explorers. First pitch at Shaw Park is at 6:35 p.m.
Advanced tickets are on sale now by visiting www.ticketmaster.ca. For more information about the Winnipeg Goldeyes’ 2021 remaining schedule, ticket options, and the Goldeyes’ comprehensive COVID-19 readiness plan, visit www.goldeyes.com.
