IL St. Paul Saints

A Call to Arms, Saints Throw Two-Hit Shutout in 2-0 Win over Clippers

Published on August 10, 2022 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints failed to throw a shutout in the first 102 games of the season. They have now thrown two shutouts in their last four games. On Wednesday afternoon against the highest scoring team in the International League, the Columbus Clippers who came in with an eight-game win streak, four pitchers combined to throw a two-hit shutout in a 2-0 victory in front of 8,083 at CHS Field.

The Minnesota Twins reigning Minor League Pitcher of the Week, Derek Rodríguez, got the start. Coming off a 6.0 inning shutout performance in his last start, Rodríguez was solid in his 3.0 innings of work. In the first, he gave up a one out single to Gabriel Arias followed by a walk to George Valera. Rodríguez got two pop outs to end the inning.

After retiring the side in order in the second, Rodríguez started the third by hitting the leadoff batter, Jose Fermin. With one out, Arias reached on a low pop up that fell just fair roughly 30-feet down the third base line. Arias collected both hits on the afternoon for the Clippers. A fly out and pop out ended the inning as Rodríguez went 3.0 shutout innings allowing two hits while walking one and striking out two.

Ronny Henriquez piggybacked Rodríguez and was even better. He retired the first five men he faced before a two-out walk to Bo Naylor. He would steal second, but Henriquez got Arias to ground out to end the inning.

Meanwhile, the Saints didn't have a run and just two hits of their own through the first four innings. John Andreoli changed that in the fifth with a solo homer to left, his eighth with the Saints and 10th of the season, giving the Saints the only run they would need.

In the sixth, Henriquez hit the leadoff man Valera and with one out walked David Fry. A spectacular sliding grab by Matt Wallner in right followed by groundout ended the inning.

Henriquez retired the first two batters in the seventh before departing for Evan Sisk, who promptly struck out Naylor to end the inning. Henriquez went 3.2 hitless, shutout innings while walking two and striking out two.

Sisk started the eighth by walking the leadoff hitter before striking out the next two hitters. With the tying run at first and two outs, right-hander Brad Peacock came out of the bullpen to face the righty Fry. Peacock struck him out to end the inning. Sisk worked 1.0 perfect inning and struck out all three hitters.

The Saints added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Elliot Soto led off the inning with a little tapper up the third base line for an infield single. David Bañuelos walked to put runners at first and second. With one out, Jermaine Palacios reached on a fielding error by the third baseman Fermin. With two outs, Caleb Hamilton walked to force in a run making it 2-0.

Peacock finished off a perfect ninth to pick up his first save with the Saints and eighth of the season. He worked 1.1 perfect innings of relief and struck out one.

The two hits are tied for the second fewest allowed in a nine-inning shutout in franchise history. The Saints tossed a one-hit shutout on May 28, 2021 at the Iowa Cubs.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series on Thursday night at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-5, 10.75) to the mound against Clippers LHP Logan Allen (1-3, 6.86). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from August 10, 2022


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