AA St. Paul Saints

Rookies of the Day, Zimmerman and Matthys Pitch Saints to 1-0 Win over Goldeyes

Published on June 24, 2018 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - All it took were two rookie pitchers to help shutdown the offense of the Winnipeg Goldeyes, who had scored 34 runs in the first three games of the series. Ryan Zimmerman, starting just his third professional game, and Jake Matthys, closing a game for the first time in his second professional season, led the Saints to a 1-0 win on Sunday evening in front of 9,791 at CHS Field. The win improved the Saints to 20-15 on the season

Zimmerman was able to pitch around each jam he got into on Sunday and it started in the first. With one out Dave Sappelt and Josh Romanski singled to put runners at first and second. Zimmerman would get Reggie Abercrombie to fly out and Eric Aguilera to strike out to end the inning.

In the third, with one out, Zimmerman walked Matt McCann and Sappelt singled him to second. Catcher Justin O'Conner, however, would back pick McCann for the second out of the inning. That proved to be huge because Romanski then singled and Abercrombie was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Zimmerman once again struck out Aguilera to end the inning.

With two outs in the fifth Sappelt reached on an infield single to third and Romanski walked. Zimmerman got the final out when Abercrombie lined out to short.

In the seventh Gavin Stupienski reached on a one out single to left and Zimmerman struck out McCann. Manager George Tsamis went to Matthys, who struck out Sappelt looking to end the inning. Zimmerman went 6.2 innings allowing six hits while walking two and striking out seven while he picked up his first professional win.

Matthys ran into a little trouble in the eighth when he walked the leadoff batter Romanski. With one out and Romanski at second after a wild pitch, he walked Aguilera intentionally. Matthys then got a comebacker off the bat of Andrew Sohn, but they would only get the out at second, putting runners at the corners with two outs. Matthys retired Grant Heyman on a groundout to short to end the inning.

With a 1-0 lead in the ninth Matthys gave up a leadoff single to Jordan Ebert, but struck out the next three hitters to earn his first pro save. Matthys went 2.1 shutout innings allowing one hit while walking two and striking out four.

The Saints lone run came in the fifth when Justin O'Conner led off with a single to left. JJ Gould laid down a sacrifice bunt and pitcher Edwin Carl tried to get the out at second, but his throw would have been late and went into center field. With one out Phillips came through with the lone RBI on a single to left-center.

It was the 31st 1-0 game in franchise history, the 14th win by the Saints. Their last 1-0 win was on September 8, 2016 in Game 1 of the playoffs at Winnipeg.

The Saints welcome in the Sioux City Explorers on Monday night for a three game series beginning at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Eddie Medina (3-2, 2.29) to the mound while the Explorers are TBA. The first 1,000 fans in attendance receive an Ice Palace Snow Globe giveaway presented by SPIRE. The game can be seen on the Saints Cable Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, and heard on Alt 93.3 FM.

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American Association Stories from June 24, 2018


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