Saints Commit Three Errors, Give up Four Home Runs in 10-2 Loss T-Bones
May 26, 2016 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release
ST. PAUL, MN - A combination of sloppy defense and four home runs spelled disaster for the St. Paul Saints as they dropped just their second game of the season a 10-2 loss to the Kansas City T-Bones on Thursday night at CHS Field in front of 7,157.
Both starters cruised through the first three innings, but in the fourth the Saints defense escaped them. Vladimir Frias led off by reaching on a fielding error by shortstop Mike Gilmartin. He would then steal second and with one out Anthony Gallas walked. The T-Bones pulled off a double steal and catcher Tony Caldwell's throw to third wound up in left field allowing Frias to score making it 1-0 T-Bones.
In the fifth Shields plunked the leadoff batter in the inning, Christian Torres. Sergio Leon sacrificed him over and Brett Wiley followed with a walk. Frias hit a grounder to short that Gilmartin couldn't handle and Torres scored to make it 2-0 T-Bones. Jake Blackwood's sacrifice fly made it 3-0. Anthony Gallas then drilled a hard grounder off of third baseman Tanner Vavra for an RBI single making it 4-0. Tyler Massey made it 6-0 with a two-run homer to right, his first of the season.
In the sixth Steve Swingle made it 7-0 with a solo homer to left, his first of the season.
The Saints got their only two runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth when Angelo Songco doubled with one out and Nate Hanson singled him home to make it 7-1. Tony Thomas singled to put runners at first and second and, with two outs, Tony Caldwell roped a double out to right that scored Hanson, but Thomas was thrown out at third after taking a turn, being held up and trying to scamper back to the bag to end the inning. Thomas finished the night 3-4 with a double.
In the seventh Shields, who gave up three home runs all of last season, gave up his third of the night on a solo homer by Gallas, his third of the season, to make it 8-2. Shields went 6.1 innings allowing eight runs (two earned) on seven hits while walking three and striking out one.
Saints reliever Kody Knaus came on in relief and looked sharp in his first 1.2 innings, but in the ninth Frias greeted him with a solo homer, his first of the season, to make it 9-2. Back-to-back doubles by Gallas and Massey, the latter scoring a run, finished the scoring.
The same two teams meet tomorrow night at CHS Field in game two of the four game series at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP John Straka (1-0, 6.75) to the mound against T-Bones RHP Jeremy Strawn (0-1, 5.40). It is Xcel Energy Friday Night Fireworks with musical theme commercial jingles. The game can be seen on the Saints Cable Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area and heard on Club 1220 KLBB.
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