The Sioux City Explorers (61-34) added another milestone to their impressive 2025 campaign, clinching the West Division title with a decisive 9-4 victory over the Sioux Falls Canaries (54-41).
Fueled by broken records, dominant pitching and clutch extra-inning wins throughout the season, the X’s rose to the occasion in front of a fired-up home crowd to secure their first division crown since 2018.
After blasting two home runs on Tuesday, Abdiel Layer picked up right where he left off on Wednesday night. With runners on the corners and two outs, Layer lifted Cole LaLonde’s 1-0 offering into the gap in right-center field, just beyond the reach of Josh Rehwaldt’s glove.
Torin Montgomery and Maikol Escotto came around to score, giving the Explorers a 2-0 lead.
Sioux Falls took the lead in the top of the fourth.
Sioux City returned the favor in the bottom half of the frame. Montgomery singled to begin the inning, and Escotto walked to set up an RBI chance for Kurtis Byrne. The catcher waited for his pitch and smoked it over Rehwaldt’s head in right-center field. Montgomery scored on the play, and when the relay throw sailed to the backstop, Escotto scored to give the X’s a 4-3 lead.
Byrne later scored on another Sioux Falls defensive miscue to pull ahead by two.
Joe Vos led off the ensuing half-inning to bring the Canaries within one, but that’s the last offense the matchup would see for a while.
Nate Gercken worked out of trouble to post a scoreless sixth while Ryan Beaird breezed by in the seventh and eighth.
The X’s tacked on four insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth capped off by Layer’s fourth home run of the series to take a 9-4 lead.
Heading into the night, the Explorers needed to win and a Kansas City loss to Milwaukee to clinch the West Division. Milwaukee held up its end of the bargain.
Felix Cepeda emerged from the X’s bullpen for the most important inning of the 2025 campaign.
The Dominican flamethrower easily finished off the Canaries and the Sioux City Explorers won their first division championship since the 2018 season.
The West Division title now allows the X’s the opportunity to choose who they will play in the first round of the Miles Wolff Cup Playoffs.
With the win, the Explorers know that the team will play their first playoff game on the road next Wednesday September 3.
The Explorers and Canaries play the final game of the series tomorrow Thursday night August 28 at Lewis and Clark Park.
It will be the final regular season home game for the Explorers. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with the gates opening at 6:00 p.m.
Following the game the team will depart for Winnipeg to face the Goldeyes over the weekend.
Playoff tickets for home playoff game number one scheduled for Friday September 5 are on sale now at the Lewis and Clark Box Office or online at xsbaseball.com.
Photo by Tim Tushla
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