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FARGO — A Fargo-Moorhead meltdown in the ninth inning turned what looked like an exciting comeback victory into a numbing 8-6 loss to Sioux City on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series before 4,271 at Newman Outdoor Field.
The RedHawks took a 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth on Sam Dexter's two-run single, but closer Alex DuBord, who had the Explorers down to their last strike, surrendered four runs in the ninth.
The RedHawks trailed 4-3 when John Silviano led off the bottom of the eighth with a single. Ben Livorsi followed with a one-out double to put runners on second and third. Dexter singled both home with the tying and go-ahead runs.
But that excitement faded fast in the top of the ninth. With one out, Sioux City's Danny Amaral was hit by a pitch, then stole second and third. Blake Tiberi walked to put runners on the corners.
DuBord struck out Trey Martin and had Danry Vasquez in a 1-2 count before Vasquez singled in Amaral with the tying run. The damage was far from done.
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Sebastian Zawada doubled in both Tiberi and Vasquez and Nate Samson singled in Zawada to make it 8-5 Explorers.
In the home half of the ninth, Explorers' reliever Thomas McIlraith gave up Peter Maris' one-out solo home run, his second homer of the game, before getting the next two RedHawks to end the game.
Maris was 4 for 4 and drove in four runs. Evan Alexander had two hits and Leo Pina, Livorsi and Rymer Liriano all doubled.
The RedHawks and Explorers play Game 2 of their three-game set at 7:02 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, at Newman.
