08/21/2008 9:16 PM -
SIOUX CITY, IA(August 21, 2008) – Usually it is the St. Paul Saints talking about magic numbers during this time of the year, but it was the Sioux City Explorers who dropped their magic number to win the division to two as the Saints lost 6-3 on Thursday night at Lewis and Clark Park.
The Explorers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Luis Villarreal walked the first of his five on the night and Alex Llanos hit a two-run opposite field homer, his 10th of the season, giving the Explorers a 2-0 lead.
In the second the Saints got one back as Adam Hale hit an opposite field homer, a solo shot, his 10th of the season, making it 2-1.
The Explorers used a couple of Villarreal walking in the third to score three runs. Dustin Jones led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second. Villarreal walked Llanos and Walter Young loaded the bases with an infield single. Chris Grossman added a two-run single and Juan Camacho followed with an RBI single to make it 5-1.
The Saints cut the deficit to 5-2 in the fifth as Hale doubled off the wall in center and with one out Steve Butler walked. Jimmy Mojica singled to right-center driving in Hale, but with runners at the corners and one out Ryan Priddy struck out and Mojica was thrown out trying to steal second.
The Explorers finished their scoring in the bottom of the inning as Llanos singled to right and moved to second on a single by Young. Llanos stole third, but a walk to Chris Grossman loaded the bases. Juan Camacho’s sacrifice fly made it 6-2.
The Saints final run came in the sixth as Pichi Balet, who finished the night 2-3 with a run scored, doubled to right-center. With two outs Heath Keel singled home Balet.
The same two teams meet Friday night at 7:05 p.m. at Lewis and Clark Park in game two of the three game series. The Saints are TBA while the Explorers send RHP Paige Dumont (6-4, 3.64) to the mound. The game can be heard on Relevant Radio 1330.
