Oconomowoc, Wisc. – The Lake Country Flying Monkeys will enter another rubber match on Sunday after dropping Saturday night’s ballgame to the Sioux City Explorers, 6-3.
Ryan Hernandez led off the fourth frame with his fourth double of the year and scored on Brian Rey’s RBI-single. Rey’s RBI total is up to 19 on the season, which paces Lake Country.
Jacob Nix allowed just one earned run over six and two-thirds innings of work, allowing just five hits and a walk. His strikeout total of 11 set a new season-high mark.
A five-run seventh inning for the X’s was highlighted with a go-ahead grand slam.
Lake Country rallied for two runs in the eighth on three walks, a single and sacrifice fly. Luis Aviles Jr. led the inning off with a walk and scored on Demetrius Sims’ single up the middle. Aaron Hill also worked a base on balls and crossed home on Nick Northcut’s fly ball to the outfield.
Connor Fenlong threw the final two innings, limiting Sioux City to just one hit and one walk while punching out four hitters.
Sims and Hernandez were the only Flying Monkeys with two hits. Lake Country’s twelve strikeouts at the plate were outdone by Sioux City’s sixteen.
Brett Conine gets the ball for Lake Country (14-11) in the rubber match and final game of the homestand. First pitch Sunday is at 1:05pm.
