07/02/2003 3:57 PM - The Sioux City Explorers picked up six runs in the third inning on their way to a 7-2 win in front of 1,681 fans at Lewis & Clark Park tonight.

Mike Figga provided the biggest blow of the night when he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the third inning and popped one over the fence for the X's first grand slam of the season that sent the X's to a 6-0 lead. T-Bones starting pitcher Erik Grunwald, who hadn't allowed an earned run all season wound up with the loss after giving up six earned runs in five innings of work.

Chris Swiatkiewicz got the win for Sioux City with a 7.0 inning outing in which he allowed two earned runs on ten hits. John Duffy made his first appearance of the season picking up two big outs in the seventh before giving way to Jordan Romero who finished out the game.

Leading the X's offensively along with Figga was third baseman Pichi Balet who went 2-for-3 with two RBI's and a run scored.

The X's and T-Bones will match up again tomorrow for the second of this three game series with a 7:05 contest.