RAILROADERS’ OFFENSE EXPLODES, BEAT EXPLORERS 15-3
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 30, 2023
CLEBURNE – Late-inning heroics weren’t needed for the Railroaders on Tuesday night as the team scored early, and they scored often en route to a 15-3 victory over the Sioux City Explorers.
Cleburne tallied their first run in the bottom of the second off Sioux City starter and former Railroader Stephen Greenlees. Hill Alexander scored after Elmer Reyes grounded into a double play, which was followed by Guillermo Quintana scoring on a wild pitch. It was 2-0, Cleburne. Another run was added in the bottom of the third, this time courtesy of a Quintana bases-loaded walk which brought Delino DeShields trotting into home.
In the bottom of the fourth, Brian Klein added on another with an RBI double that scored the speedy Jose Curpa.
Sioux City finally cut into the Railroaders’ lead in the top of the sixth with two runs off Railroaders’ starter Kevin Hilton. Prior to that inning, Hilton was cruising, needing less than 50 pitches to get through his first five innings of work.
Cleburne got those two runs back and more throughout the rest of the game. They added on their fifth run of the contest in the bottom of the sixth off a Zach Nehrir sacrifice fly.
Five runs scored in both the bottom of the seventh and the bottom of the eighth. Alexander came home when Quintana doubled in the seventh. Reyes launched his first home run of the year, a three-run shot, later in the inning to blow the game open at 9-2. Klein rounded out the five-run frame when he scored on a wild pitch.
In the eighth, Sioux City tacked on another run to make it 10-3, but the Railroaders quickly responded with five more in the bottom half of the inning. Alexander hit a solo shot, his second consecutive game with a home run. DeShields drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring Mark Karaviotis. Reyes scored when Nehrir was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and then Jose Sermo hit a two-run double that scored both DeShields and Curpa to make it 15-3.
Miguel Ausua came out of the bullpen in the top of the ninth and shut the door, sealing the victory.
Hilton was fantastic on the hill for Cleburne, going seven innings, allowing just two runs (one earned). He struck out two and walked one. Greenlees got the loss for the Explorers. He went three innings, allowed three runs on one hit while striking out three and walking seven. On the night, Explorers’ pitchers walked a total of 13 batters.
The Railroaders continue their four-game series against the Sioux City Explorers on May 31. Pregame coverage will begin a 6:45 p.m. on aabaseball.tv and on the Railroader Radio Network.