SIOUX CITY, Iowa – A stellar pitching performance from the Sioux City Explorers allowed them to take game two by a final score of 2-0 and eliminate the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks from the Miles Wolff Cup Playoffs.
Starting pitching dealt early in this one as Sioux City’s Mitchell Verburg and Fargo-Moorhead’s Colten Davis let their defenses work as they allowed only a few runners on base through the first three innings. It wasn’t until the bottom of the fourth inning when the game’s opening salvo was fired as a lead off walk reached second on a wild pitch and with two-outs, a fly ball got lost in the night sky and fell for a base hit, allowing the runner to score. That was the lone run allowed by the RedHawks righty as the book closed on him completing 6.0 innings, allowing four hits and four walks while striking out seven, collecting the quality start was given the loss in the contest.
The Explorers added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as a one-out walk advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third thanks to a single in the same at-bat. Another single in the ensuing at-bat scored the aforementioned run and brought the game to its final score as the RedHawks were not able to piece anything together in the top of the ninth inning.
With the loss, the RedHawks 2023 American Association season is over. But baseball will continue as they get set to travel to Mérida, Yucatán, México to compete in the inaugural Baseball Champions League tournament starting on September 28.
