Grossman walk-off gives X's 4-2 win
By Terry Hersom, Journal sports editor | Posted: Monday, June 16, 2008
Sioux City's Jason Tuttle makes a diving catch against Lincoln during Explorers baseball action Sunday at Lewis and Clark Park. (Staff photo by Jim Lee)
Tough as the season's first month has been, there's no mistaking the Sioux City Explorers' will to win.
It was evident in so many ways Sunday, most of all with the exuberant celebration touched off by Chris Grossman's walk-off two-run homer in the ninth inning, lifting the X's to a dramatic 4-2 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs.
Nick Singleton continued to pitch about as well as any starter in the American Association and the righthander was backed by an inspiring defensive performance that included two spectacular diving catches from centerfielder Jason Tuttle and three clutch double plays.
But it all came down to Grossman, making the most of a rare day off on Saturday by coming back to wallop the club's first two homers in nine games.
With his teammates awaiting him at home plate, the 27-year-old Alamo, Calif., native hurled his batting helmet high in the air, then dove into the pile of well-wishers.
And, no sooner had all of this happened before a heated exchange flared up between Grossman and several of the Saltdogs, led by veteran Mario Delgado.
"I just was thrilled at hitting a ball like that and the game was over and then all of a sudden they're all yelling at me,'' said Grossman. "I was just pumped up from the situation and saying stuff back. I'm sure it will be over and done with tomorrow.''
However, Lincoln Manager Tim Johnson wasn't so sure his team would be that forgiving, which might raise some concern over a series these teams will begin Friday night at Haymarket Park.
Johnson said Grossman "showed my pitcher up'' with such an animated response to the game-winning blast. The Lincoln skipper said the X's catcher had fired his bat toward the Saltdogs' dugout.
"I thought it was pretty weak on Grossman's part,'' said the former Toronto Blue Jays manager. "That's not the way you do things in pro ball. I don't know what's going to happen (when the teams meet again).''
Johnson's team, a perennial playoff contender, is an uncharacteristic 16-18, but the Explorers have had an even tougher go, posting a 14-22 mark. A dismal 1-7 start put the X's in a deep hole and they've been scrapping and clawing to go 13-15 ever since.
"It was a game that we really needed and it was good to see everybody kind of step up,'' said Grossman.
"To win it like that, that's the way teams turn their seasons around,'' declared Singleton, unconcerned that his 7.1 innings of work resulted in a no-decision. "We needed a win really bad.''
Veteran outfielder Anton French chopped a 2-2 pitch through the right side of the infield to start the home half of the ninth inning with a base hit. A wild pitch moved French to second and Nick McCoola's sacrifice put the winning run at third with one out and Grossman due up.
A former semifinalist for college baseball's Johnny Bench award as a catcher at the University of California, Grossman hasn't quite found the groove after spending last season in the St. Louis Cardinals' farm system.
Batting .270 with two homers after hitting .305 with 14 homers here two seasons ago, the 6-5, 235-pounder had plated the game's first run, leading off the bottom of the third with a bomb to straightaway center.
With French just 90 feet away, though, he was simply looking for a pitch he could loft deep enough for a game-winning sacrifice fly.
The 3-1 delivery from Lincoln closer Nathan Staggs was all of that and more: Grossman sent it sailing over the left-field wall.
It all added up to the club's biggest win of the year, according to Manager Les Lancaster.
"This is probably the biggest, no doubt about it,'' said Lancaster. "Singleton pitched a heckuva game. Their guy (Joshua Kauten) did, too. The pitchers and the defense did an outstanding job and to be able to do this, especially at home and in the last at-bat, makes it more special.''
French also had an RBI single in the fourth inning, putting the X's on top 2-0, but Lincoln got single runs back in the sixth and seventh, cashing in on a triple from Jonny Kaplan and the last of three hits by Delgado.
Reid, though, foiled two more Lincoln rallies in the final two innings. He got a double play ball to end the eighth after the Dogs loaded the bases with one out. Then, in the ninth, after Shea McFeely's leadoff double and a one-out walk, it was Tuttle's leaping grab of a drive by Kaplan that saved the day.
X's AND OH's: Singleton came into the game with a 2.79 earned average that was good for seventh in the league. And, even though he remained just 2-3 after eight starts, he actually lowered the ERA to 2.75, surrendering just six hits and two runs in 7.1 innings. "Without my centerfielder out there, Tuttle, there's no way we win this game,'' said Singleton....
The Explorers released outfielder Luke Hetherington on Saturday, making room on the roster for pitcher Cameron Cheek to come off the disabled list. Hetherington, who replaced 2007 holdover Pete Pirman as the rightfielder just eight games into the schedule, on May 15, batted .229 in 25 games, driving in eight runs....
Cheek, who pitched an inning in relief Saturday night, will make his third start in tonight's 5:05 doubleheader -- two seven-inning games -- against the St. Paul Saints, who'll be making up a game postponed by rain when the teams met last week at Midway Stadium....
Facing a second doubleheader in four nights, Lancaster will dip into his bullpen for tonight's other starting pitcher, giving the nod to Paige Dumont. The 6-foot 8-inch righthander has fared quite well in 12 relief appearances, striking out 22 batters in 21.2 innings and walking only two. He doesn't have enough innings to qualify for the league leaders, but his ERA is 2.49....
St. Paul comes into the three-day, four-game series tied for the North Division lead with Sioux Falls, each at 21-13 with 14 games left in the first half. The Saints routed Wichita 12-4 on Sunday after losing a Saturday night contest marred by a ninth-inning brawl that will likely lead to some suspensions for both teams....
Not only were Grossman's two homers the first for Sioux City in nine games dating back to June 5, they were just the seventh and eighth of the year for a power-hungry club that had gone deep only one time in 22 games since May 21.
It was evident in so many ways Sunday, most of all with the exuberant celebration touched off by Chris Grossman's walk-off two-run homer in the ninth inning, lifting the X's to a dramatic 4-2 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs.
Nick Singleton continued to pitch about as well as any starter in the American Association and the righthander was backed by an inspiring defensive performance that included two spectacular diving catches from centerfielder Jason Tuttle and three clutch double plays.
But it all came down to Grossman, making the most of a rare day off on Saturday by coming back to wallop the club's first two homers in nine games.
With his teammates awaiting him at home plate, the 27-year-old Alamo, Calif., native hurled his batting helmet high in the air, then dove into the pile of well-wishers.
And, no sooner had all of this happened before a heated exchange flared up between Grossman and several of the Saltdogs, led by veteran Mario Delgado.
"I just was thrilled at hitting a ball like that and the game was over and then all of a sudden they're all yelling at me,'' said Grossman. "I was just pumped up from the situation and saying stuff back. I'm sure it will be over and done with tomorrow.''
However, Lincoln Manager Tim Johnson wasn't so sure his team would be that forgiving, which might raise some concern over a series these teams will begin Friday night at Haymarket Park.
Johnson said Grossman "showed my pitcher up'' with such an animated response to the game-winning blast. The Lincoln skipper said the X's catcher had fired his bat toward the Saltdogs' dugout.
"I thought it was pretty weak on Grossman's part,'' said the former Toronto Blue Jays manager. "That's not the way you do things in pro ball. I don't know what's going to happen (when the teams meet again).''
Johnson's team, a perennial playoff contender, is an uncharacteristic 16-18, but the Explorers have had an even tougher go, posting a 14-22 mark. A dismal 1-7 start put the X's in a deep hole and they've been scrapping and clawing to go 13-15 ever since.
"It was a game that we really needed and it was good to see everybody kind of step up,'' said Grossman.
"To win it like that, that's the way teams turn their seasons around,'' declared Singleton, unconcerned that his 7.1 innings of work resulted in a no-decision. "We needed a win really bad.''
Veteran outfielder Anton French chopped a 2-2 pitch through the right side of the infield to start the home half of the ninth inning with a base hit. A wild pitch moved French to second and Nick McCoola's sacrifice put the winning run at third with one out and Grossman due up.
A former semifinalist for college baseball's Johnny Bench award as a catcher at the University of California, Grossman hasn't quite found the groove after spending last season in the St. Louis Cardinals' farm system.
Batting .270 with two homers after hitting .305 with 14 homers here two seasons ago, the 6-5, 235-pounder had plated the game's first run, leading off the bottom of the third with a bomb to straightaway center.
With French just 90 feet away, though, he was simply looking for a pitch he could loft deep enough for a game-winning sacrifice fly.
The 3-1 delivery from Lincoln closer Nathan Staggs was all of that and more: Grossman sent it sailing over the left-field wall.
It all added up to the club's biggest win of the year, according to Manager Les Lancaster.
"This is probably the biggest, no doubt about it,'' said Lancaster. "Singleton pitched a heckuva game. Their guy (Joshua Kauten) did, too. The pitchers and the defense did an outstanding job and to be able to do this, especially at home and in the last at-bat, makes it more special.''
French also had an RBI single in the fourth inning, putting the X's on top 2-0, but Lincoln got single runs back in the sixth and seventh, cashing in on a triple from Jonny Kaplan and the last of three hits by Delgado.
Reid, though, foiled two more Lincoln rallies in the final two innings. He got a double play ball to end the eighth after the Dogs loaded the bases with one out. Then, in the ninth, after Shea McFeely's leadoff double and a one-out walk, it was Tuttle's leaping grab of a drive by Kaplan that saved the day.
X's AND OH's: Singleton came into the game with a 2.79 earned average that was good for seventh in the league. And, even though he remained just 2-3 after eight starts, he actually lowered the ERA to 2.75, surrendering just six hits and two runs in 7.1 innings. "Without my centerfielder out there, Tuttle, there's no way we win this game,'' said Singleton....
The Explorers released outfielder Luke Hetherington on Saturday, making room on the roster for pitcher Cameron Cheek to come off the disabled list. Hetherington, who replaced 2007 holdover Pete Pirman as the rightfielder just eight games into the schedule, on May 15, batted .229 in 25 games, driving in eight runs....
Cheek, who pitched an inning in relief Saturday night, will make his third start in tonight's 5:05 doubleheader -- two seven-inning games -- against the St. Paul Saints, who'll be making up a game postponed by rain when the teams met last week at Midway Stadium....
Facing a second doubleheader in four nights, Lancaster will dip into his bullpen for tonight's other starting pitcher, giving the nod to Paige Dumont. The 6-foot 8-inch righthander has fared quite well in 12 relief appearances, striking out 22 batters in 21.2 innings and walking only two. He doesn't have enough innings to qualify for the league leaders, but his ERA is 2.49....
St. Paul comes into the three-day, four-game series tied for the North Division lead with Sioux Falls, each at 21-13 with 14 games left in the first half. The Saints routed Wichita 12-4 on Sunday after losing a Saturday night contest marred by a ninth-inning brawl that will likely lead to some suspensions for both teams....
Not only were Grossman's two homers the first for Sioux City in nine games dating back to June 5, they were just the seventh and eighth of the year for a power-hungry club that had gone deep only one time in 22 games since May 21.
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