Amaral Homers Twice as Explorers Close in on Playoff Berth
by Connor Ryan, Sioux City Explorers
Oconomowoc, WI (August, 28th, 2022) – The Sioux City Explorers continued the power surge on Sunday afternoon hitting four home runs en route to a rain shortened, six inning, 10-4 win over the Lake Country DockHounds.
The X’s got the bats rolling immediately in the top of the first. Danny Amaral homered to lead off the game, the third time he has led off a contest with a homer. After a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases, Chase Harris brought home a pair with a single to left and a Dylan Kelly sacrifice fly to left and a Blake Tiberi single finished the five run outburst.
Lake Country grabbed a run back in the bottom half of the first on a Gabriel Noriega base hit to make it 5-1.
The X’s added two in the second with two out back to back homers from Trey Martin and Gabe Snyder to push the lead to 7-1.
The score remained that way until the sixth in large part due to Sioux City starter Kevin McCanna (10-5) who gained the win by tossing six innings and allowed four runs on nine hits, he struck out seven and walked one.
In the sixth Ademar Rifaela led off with a double that was followed by a Kelly single. Blake Tiberi drove in Rifaela with a sacrifice fly to right before Amaral followed with his second home run of the day. It was the first multi home run game of the season for Danny Amaral, the seventh of the year for the X’s.
Efrain Contreras contributed to Lake Country’s scoring with a three run home run in the bottom of the sixth.
Taking the loss for the DockHounds was Evan Kruczynski (6-5). He allowed ten runs across six innings on twelve hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
Sioux City did have another three run rally going in the top of the seventh inning before the game was stopped and eventually final due to weather. Making the final score and stat line revert back to the end of the sixth inning.
The Explorers will have a day off on Monday before starting their final home stand of the 2022 season on Tuesday at 7:05 pm against Fargo-Moorhead. The X’s will see the RedHawks for three games and then finish with four games at home against the Lincoln Saltdogs.
