By Dan Vaughan

Sioux City, IA– The Sioux City Explorers (53-40) used two four-run innings and a quality start from Eric Karch to cruise to a series-clinching win over the Kansas City T-Bones’ (52-41) on Monday night by an 8-2 final, severely damaging the KC playoff hopes. 

The T-Bones took a 1-0 lead in the third off Karch with a double down the third base line by Ramsey Romano, but the lead was short lived. The Explorers with one out jumped all over T-Bones starter Akeem Bostick in the bottom of the inning. Dylan Kelly hit a line drive down the right field line for a solo home run to tie to game. From there Sioux City loaded the bases on a hit and a pair of walks to load the bases. Jeremey Hazelbaker then struck out looking for out number two to bring up Jose Sermo. The X’s third baseman drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home the go-ahead run. Dexture McCall then hit a double to center to clear the bases, and it was 4-1 Sioux City.

KC came back with a run in the top of the fourth on a RBI single to left that left fielder Sebastian Zawada lost in the lights to cut the lead to 4-2. Karch then would work his way out of trouble with Kansas City leaving two runners on base. In the bottom of the fifth inning, another four spot for Sioux City put the game away. Jose Mesa Jr. came into the game with a runner on first and would walk Sermo then retire McCall on a fly ball to center, but both runners moved up a base. Adam Sasser hit a bad hop single to score one run. Then the X’s picked up three straight singles to drive in three more to take an 8-2 advantage.

From there Karch, who had allowed 23 earned runs in his last 27.1 innings pitched, held the T-Bones in check through seven, retiring nine in a row. Bostick (2-1) was charged with the loss while Karch (6-6) picked up the key win for the X’s. With the loss KC now drops a full game back in the wild-card race with Sioux City and are head-to-head 3-6 against their division rivals and 2.5 games behind Cleburne for the top spot in the division with only seven games remaining. Cleburne leads the race for the South Division in the American Association with a (55-39) record with Sioux City a 1.5 back and with KC in third. The T-Bones will face Sioux City again this weekend, but first they will find themselves in another big series down in Texas against the AirHogs.

The two teams open a three-game series at AirHog stadium Tuesday night in Grand Prairie, Texas. Catch all the action live on the T-Bones Broadcast Network. 

Tickets to all T-Bones home games are on sale now online or by calling (913) 328-5618 or by visiting the Saint Luke's Box Office between the hours of 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Group ticket sales are also on sale now. 

For additional information or interview requests, members of the media may contact the T-Bones Media Relations Department at (817) 739-3693. Stay tuned to www.tbonesbaseball.com. and the T-Bones Facebook and Twitter pages for updates throughout the season.   

Box Score

LISTEN TO ALL T-BONES GAMES LIVE ON THE T-BONES BROADCAST NETWORK

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