Explorers Streak Continues, Canaries Win in Walk-Off, Weekly Honors

American Association Daily provides insights, features, and recaps of the action from around the American Association of Professional Baseball League, as well as player and coaching profiles and transactions. In today’s edition, Rob Pannier recaps the two great games in the American Association on Monday, including the Sioux Falls Canaries winning in walk-off fashion in the Sioux City Explorers winning their eighth straight game. Plus, Player and Pitcher of the Week honors are awarded.
Game Recaps for Monday
Canaries Win on Barth Walk-Off Hit
Jordan Barth delivered the game-winning hit with two down in the bottom of the ninth to give the Sioux Falls Canaries a 3-2 comeback victory over the Kansas City Monarchs. This was a fantastic pitcher’s duel between Kansas City starter Zach Matson and the Canaries bullpen, who were forced into action after Akeem Bostick left in the third inning with an injury.
Sioux Falls took the lead in the bottom of the second on a bases loaded walk to Ozzie Martinez, but the Monarchs responded in the top of the third as Jacob Robson hit his fifth home run of the season to lead off the inning. The game remained tied at one until the eighth when both teams would score run. Odubel Herrera doubled home LJ Hatch to make it a one Monarchs lead, but Jabari Henry led off the bottom of the eighth with his 11th homer of the year to knot the game at two. That sent the game to the ninth where a walk, an error, and an intentional walk loaded the bases for Barth, who hit the first pitch he saw up the middle to give the Canaries the victory.
Matson allowed one run in six innings. Brady Stover earned the victory as the Sioux Falls bullpen allowed one run in 6.2 innings.
Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Carter Woodiel
Sioux Falls Canaries Recap by Tanner Hoops
Explorers Extend Winning Streak
The Sioux City Explorers extended their winning streak the eighth straight games as they defeated the Lake Country DockHounds, 8-3. Solomon Bates earned his seventh victory of the season, allowing three runs in seven innings, and the Explorers hit three home runs in the victory.
Lake Country took the lead in the bottom of the first as Blake Tiberi led off with a home run, his fourth of the year, and Demetrius Sims added an RBI double. Sioux City responded with two runs in the top of the second thanks to a bases loaded walk to Jake Sanford and an RBI single by Matt Lloyd. In the third, back-to-back home runs by Tyler Rando and Jake Ortega led off the frame for Sioux City, with the DockHounds cutting the deficit in half when Marcus Chiu delivered a run with an RBI double in the bottom of the frame.
However, it was all Sioux City from there. The Explorers added two runs in the fifth and in the ninth. Miguel Sierra hit a two-run homer in the top of the fifth, his fourth of the year, and plated two more in the ninth on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Wilfredo Gimenez.
Sierra reached base three times, scoring twice and driving in two. Ortega also scored twice. Tiberi scored twice for Lake Country.
Sioux City Explorers Recap by Austin Thomas
Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Jake Ortega (Sioux City Explorers) 2-4, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB
No. 2 – Zach Matson (Kansas City Monarchs) 6.0 IP, 6 H, ER, 2 BB, 6 K
No. 1 – Miguel Sierra (Sioux City Explorers) 1-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, 2 BB
American Association Daily Notes
The Sioux City Explorers earned their eighth straight game. That is the longest winning streak in the American Association this season… Sioux City Explorers right-hander Solomon Bates won his seventh game of the year. He is the first American Association pitcher to reach the seven win mark… Lincoln Saltdogs catcher Luke Roskam was named by This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report as the Player of the Week. Explorers right-hander Trenton Toplikar was selected as the top pitcher.
Transactions
Fargo-Moorhead: Released INF Donivan Williams
Lake Country: Released RHP Michael DeSanti and C Sonny Ulliana
American Association Stories at Minor League Sports Report
Lincoln Saltdogs C Luke Roskam Named Player of the Week
Sioux City Explorer RHP Trenton Toplikar Named Pitcher of the Week
By Robert Pannier