Sioux City, IA  – The X’s used a three run first and five run second to lead the way to a win over the Lincoln Saltdogs on Wednesday night and lead for the entire game taking home a 9-1 victory.

Sioux City got the scoring started in the first when Dexture McCall drove in a pair of runs with two outs in the inning on a base hit to right to make it 2-0 Sioux City. Drew Stankiewicz followed with a knock to drive in McCall to make it 3-0 X’s at the end of the first.

In the second Sioux City would break it open. Dylan Kelly lead off the inning with a double, a Luke Bonfield single and a hit by pitch loaded up the bases with no one out. Kyle Wren reached on a fielders choice to bring home Kelly, Nate Samson and Jose Sermo hit back to back singles to both bring home a run. And Stankiewicz added to his stat line with a two out single to bring home Sermo making it 8-0 Sioux City after two innings.

Jason Garcia (5-1) had more than enough run support as he turned in yet another stellar outing for the X’s. He went seven innings, allowing a run on six hits, and walking eight and striking out four.  He now leads the American Association with five wins in six starts.

Sioux City was lead offensively by 17 hits in the ball game. Just two hits shy of their current season high. Four different players put together three hit nights. Dylan Kelly went 3-4 with a pair of doubles, Nate Samson collected a trio of hits along with an RBI and two runs scored. Stankiewicz had his first three hit night as an Explorer with a pair of RBI’s and McCall put together three knocks, with two RBI’s and a run scored.

Both teams traded runs later in the game, Jose Sermo who had two hits and two runs and two RBI’s brought home Kyle Wren in the fifth to make it 9-0 X’s. And Lincoln avoided the shut out with a run in the sixth on a Tyler Moore sacrifice fly.

Sioux City and Lincoln play in the finale of the four game series on Thursday with first pitch set for 7:12 pm.

Boxscore

By Connor Ryan