IL St. Paul Saints

Albers Dominates as Saints Blank Indians 8-0

Published on August 15, 2021 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The St. Paul Saints scored five runs in the first inning before Andrew Albers even took the mound, but it was Albers who became the story on Sunday afternoon at Victory Field. He went further than any Saints pitcher this season, tossing 8.0 shutout innings in an 8-0 victory over the Indianapolis Indians. The win improved the Saints to 48-41 as they won on Sunday for just the fourth time in 15 tries. The shutout was the fifth of the season for the Saints.

The Saints took control with a big first inning and knocked out starter Max Kranick. With one out Jose Miranda doubled to left. Tomás Telis' single moved Miranda to third. Mark Conteras followed with an RBI single to make it 1-0. Gilberto Celestino then hit a grounder to first, but Phillip Evans' throw to second went into left field allowing Telis to score and make it 2-0. With two outs Jimmy Kerrigan doubled home a pair to increase the lead to 4-0. The Saints knocked out Kranick after a Drew Stankiewicz RBI double made it 5-0.

It was all Albers from there. He allowed his first hit with two outs in the third and didn't allow a runner to reach second until a two-out double in the fifth by Taylor Davis.

The Saints offense added to their lead in the fourth when Stankiewicz led off with a single to right. He stole second and scored on JT Riddle's single to left-center making it 6-0. Riddle took second on a single by Nick Gordon and withh two outs an infield single by Mark Contreras scored Riddle from third to put the Saints up 7-0.

In the bottom of the sixth, Albers gave up a leadoff infield single to Major League rehabber Ka'ai Tom, but with one out Michael Chavis hit a sinking liner to left that Kerrigan made a great diving catch on and threw to second for the double play.

With one out in the eighth, Albers gave up a double to Chris Sharpe and with two outs Toms' single to left moved Sharpe to third. At over 100 pitches, manager Toby Gardenhire allowed Albers to face Phillip Evans and his move was rewarded as Albers got Evans to ground out to second to end the inning. Albers went 8.0 shutout innings allowing four hits while striking out five. He threw a season high 104 pitches, the most by any Saints pitcher this season, 71 for strikes.

In the ninth, Miranda capped off the day for the offense with a solo homer to left-center, his 11th of the season.

The Saints have Monday off and return to action on Tuesday evening against the Iowa Cubs. The Saints will resume their June 20 game that was rained out in the top of the fifth with the score 3-3. That game is scheduled for nine innings and begins at 5:30 p.m. The regularly scheduled game will follow approximately 30-minutes at the conclusion of the resumed suspended game and will be seven innings. Both teams are TBA for the regularly scheduled game. Both games 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 15, 2021


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