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St. Paul Saints

Saints Let One Get Away, Lose 9-8 to Goldeyes

June 22, 2018 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints led by three with three innings to go and carried a one run lead into the ninth. Unfortunately, they couldn't hang on and lost to the Winnipeg Goldeyes 9-8 on Friday night at CHS Field in front of 8,661.

With the Saints leading 7-4 in the seventh Tucker Nathans reached on a one out single to left. Dave Sappelt walked and Josh Romanski made it 7-5 with an RBI double to right. Reggie Abercormbie then flew out to right and Max Murphy threw out Sappelt trying to score from third.

In the eighth, with two outs, Grant Heyman hit a solo homer to right, his sixth of the season, to make it 7-6.

In the ninth Tom Wilhelmsen came in to close it out and struck out the first hitter Kevin Garcia. The ball went through the legs of catcher Dante Bichette Jr. and Garcia advanced on the dropped third strike. Nathans then hit a ground ball to the left of second baseman Luke Pettersen at second. He fielded it, wheeled towards second, but his throw was high and went into left field putting runners at first and second. A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. Another wild pitch allowed the tying run to score. Sappelt gave the Goldeyes a one run lead with an RBI double to right. Two batters later Reggie Abercrombie's sacrifice fly to left made it 9-7.

The Saints had an opportunity in the bottom of the ninth when Anthony Phillips singled to left with one out. With two outs Brady Shoemaker doubled to right-center scoring Phillips to cut the deficit to a run. After an intentional walk to Noah Perio Jr., Bichette Jr. sent a deep fly to left, but Sappelt caught the ball on the warning track to end the game.

The Saints trailed 4-0 in the bottom of the third, but managed to tie the game up. Pettersen collected his first professional hit in his first pro at bat, a double down the right field line. With one out Phillips walked to put runners at first and second. Max Murphy followed with an infield single to short loading the bases. Shoemaker came through with a two-run single to left making it 4-2. He finished the night 2-4 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored. Perio Jr. made it 4-3 with an RBI single to center. With two outs Richard Prigatano tied it with an RBI double to right.

In the fourth the Saints took the lead when Phillips was hit by a pitch with one out. Murphy doubled him to third. He finished the night 3-4 with a double and two runs scored. After Shoemaker was intentionally walked, Perio Jr. gave the Saints a 5-4 lead with a sacrifice fly.

In the sixth the Saints tacked on two more as Murphy and Shoemaker led off the inning with back-to-back walks. A wild pitch moved the runners up and, with one out, Bichette Jr. made it 6-4 with an RBI single. Prigatano walked and, with two outs, Pettersen hit a grounder to first that was mishandled by Eric Aguilera allowing Shoemaker to score making it 7-4, a lead the Saints couldn't hold.

The same two teams meet in game three of the four game series on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP John Straka (1-0, 0.00) to the mound against Goldeyes RHP Charle Rosario (2-2, 3.30). It is Native American Night presented by Treasure Island Resort & Casino. The game can be seen on the Saints Cable Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, and heard on Alt 93.3 FM.

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