Saints Come back Late 8-7
September 5, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
St. Paul, MN - The Gary South Shore RailCats were three outs away from a win Friday night in St. Paul, but the Saints came back for an 8-7 win to sweep the four game series from the RailCats at CHS Field.
With the RailCats leading 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth Andy Loomis was summoned into the ball game to get the final three outs. Loomis would walk Sam Maus and give up a single to Ryan Cavan. Vinny DiFazio hit into a fielders choice forcing out Cavan at second for out number one but putting runners at the corners. Angelo Songco then singled to right off of Loomis to tie the game at seven.
The RailCats elected to walk David Espinosa to load the bases. With runners at every base and Willie Argo at the plate Loomis bounced a pitch short that got past catcher Michael Vaughn to score DiFazio and send the Saints crowd of just over 8,000 into a frenzy and a 8-7 win.
The result overshadowed a good night for RailCats starter Fernando Gonzalez who worked 6.2 IP and left the game with two on in the seventh. Gonzalez gave up seven hits with four strike outs and only missed a quality start due to an inherited run that John Kovalik allowed for a total of four earned for Gonzalez.
The RailCats actually led it 2-0 after one and at one point seemed set at 6-3 but St. Paul chipped away thanks to long balls from Ryan Cavan and Angelo Songco to never let the RailCats rest too easy. The South Shore pen allowed four runs on the night and could not get the shutdown inning when they needed it most.
The RailCats got a two hit night from Michael Vaughn and a two hit two RBI game from Jose Sermo and Dustin Geiger. Portage native Anthony Cheky made his RailCats debut going 0 for 3 with a walk. The Saints set up man Mike Zouzalik (4-1) worked a 1-2-3 eighth for the win while Loomis fell to (0-2).
It was the clubs seventh straight loss and sent Gary to 11 games below .500 and to a record of 43-54 the most losses a RailCats club has had since 2004 when the South Shore dropped 65.
The RailCats return home for their final series of the season in a three game series with the Kansas City T-Bones with game one set for Saturday night at 6:10pm. The game can be heard on 95.9 WEFM and online at RailCatsBaseball.com.
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American Association Stories from September 5, 2015
- Birds Beat Blasters 4-2 on Saturday Night - Sioux Falls Canaries
- RailCats Suffer Shut out Loss to Kansas City 5-0 - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- CHS Field Honored with New Ballpark of the Year Award from Ballpark Digest - St. Paul Saints
- Explorers' Patrick Johnson Named League's Top Hurler - AA
- 'Dogs Rally Late But Blasters Hang On - Lincoln Saltdogs
- Saints Come back Late 8-7 - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Blasters Bullpen Comes to the Rescue in Series Clincher - Joplin Blasters
- Saints Walk off for First Time this Season to Win Seventh Straight in 8-7 Victory over RailCats - St. Paul Saints
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