Sioux City 4, Cleburne 0 – Box Score
The Sioux City Explorers blanked the Cleburne Railroaders 4-0 in the Wild Card Round of the American Association Playoffs to advance to the South Division Championship Series.
The Explorers will face the Kansas City Monarchs in the next round and game one is set for Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Legends Field.
Sioux City broke the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth when 1B Jose Sermo hit a solo home run. In the seventh, CF Chase Harris scored on a sac fly from LF Lane Milligan. Milligan put a bow on the victory with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth. 2B Blake Tiberi, who drew a walk in the previous at bat, scored on Milligan’s blast to right field.
Starting pitcher Patrick Ledet worked five innings and gave up just three hits while striking out two batters. Reliever Max Kuhns earned the win as he threw the final four innings and allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out three.
Fargo-Moorhead 5, Milwaukee 0 – Box Score
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks posted five runs in the first inning and shut out the Milwaukee Milkmen the rest of the way to claim a 5-0 in the Wild Card Round of the American Association Playoffs.
In the bottom of the first inning, DH Jordan George (2-for-4) pushed the first run across with a double that scored 1B Correlle Prime (2-for-4). 2B Manuel Boscan scored when LF Kevin Krouse bounced out in the next at bat, and George scored when 3B Leobaldo Pina singled later in the inning. RF John Silviano (2-for-3) singled to score C Dylan Kelly (2-for-4) and Pina scored when CF Alex Boxwell grounded out to second.
Fargo-Moorhead starter Matt Tomshaw set the tone as he went 7.2 innings and allowed just three hits while striking out five batters. Reliever Ryan Flores worked the final four outs without allowing a hit or a walk.
For the Milkmen, SS Mikey Reynolds doubled in the fourth and reached third when RF Cole Sturgeon grounded out to first and no other Milkmen advanced past first base for the rest of the game.
The RedHawks will advance to the North Division Championship Series to face the Chicago Dogs. Game one is set for Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Impact Field.