by Connor Ryan, Sioux City Explorers

Sioux Falls, SD (August, 25th, 2022) – Zsch Hedges dominated over the course of eight innings and the Explorers finished off the five game series with the Sioux Falls Canaries with a 4-1 win. 

Sioux City’s offense took a quick lead in the top of the first on a two-run homer off the bat of Trey Martin to jump out in front 2-0. 

The Explorers doubled their lead in the fourth. Chase Harris collected one of the five doubles hit by the X’s in the ballgame and scored on another double by Miguel Sierra who immediately came in to score on a Jack Kelly base hit giving Sioux City a 4-0 lead. 

Zach Hedges (4-7) cruised to his third straight win. He set a new season high for an Explorers starter by going 8 innings full. He allowed only one run on three hits and struck out four with a single walk. After allowing a base hit in the bottom of the first he then retired the next eleven consecutive batters. 

Over his last three starts, all wins, Hedges has allowed only one earned run, three total across 20 innings of work on ten hits with 18 strikeouts and two walks. 

Ty Culbreth (7-5) was on the losing end of the matchup. He allowed four runs in six and a third innings on nine hits with seven strikeouts and four walks. 

Sioux Falls lone run of the ballgame came in the seventh when Wyatt Ulrich reached on a double and scored from a Jabari Henry single. 

Thomas McIlraith (18) picked up the save with a scoreless ninth and collected a strikeout. 

With the X’s win and a Saltdogs loss, Sioux City is now three games up on Lincoln for the final playoff spot in the west division. 

The X’s continue their final road trip of the season with a three game series with the Lake Country DockHounds. Right hander Matt Pobereyko (2-1, 1.69) will start for Sioux City and Angel Ventura (2-4, 5.40) will go for Lake Country.