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IL St. Paul Saints

Balazovic Solid in Triple-A Debut, Saints Smash I-Cubs 9-2

May 7, 2022 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - All eyes were on the starting pitcher for the St. Paul Saints on Saturday afternoon at CHS Field. Jordan Balazovic made his Triple-A debut and was solid over 3.2 shutout innings of work. The offense did the rest of the heavy lifting, drawing a season high 11 walks, smashing two home runs, and taking down the Iowa Cubs 9-2 in front of 5,548. The Saints improved to 15-12 with the victory.

Balazovic danced around a first inning jam. With one out he gave up a single to former Minnesota Twins shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who was with Iowa on Major League rehab. Jared Young hit a fly ball double to right putting runners at second and third. Balazovic got Nelson Maldonado to fly out to shallow left and then walked P.J. Higgins to load the bases. Nelson Velazquez would fly out to center to end the inning.

After a perfect second inning from Balazovic, with a pair of strikeouts, the Saints capitalized on the first two of their 11 walks to get on the board. Curtis Terry and Derek Fisher led off the inning with back-to-back free passes. With one out, José Godoy put the Saints on the board with an RBI single to right-center making it 1-0.

Balazovic went out for the third giving up an infield single to Ilderamo Vargas and then made the play of the game. Simmons hit a hot liner right back to Balazovic, who snagged it for the first out of the inning. A strikeout and pop out ended the inning.

In the fourth, Balazovic fanned Higgins to lead off the inning before giving up a double to Velazquez. A caught stealing erased Velazquez, but a walk and double put runners at second and third and ended the day for Balazovic. Mario Sanchez came in and fanned Narciso Crook to end the inning. Balazovic went 3.2 shutout innings allowing five hits while walking two and striking out four. He threw 79 pitches, 51 strikes.

The I-Cubs tied it in the fifth as Vargas led off with a single to center. He advanced to second on a groundout and, with two outs, scored on a double from Maldanado.

The Saints wasted little time regaining the lead and it came from their newest player, Kevin Merrell. With one out Godoy walked and Caleb Hamilton followed with an infield single to second. Merrell then unloaded on a three-run homer to left, his first of the season, giving the Saints a 4-1 lead.

The I-Cubs scored a run in the fifth, but the Saints got another long ball in the bottom of the inning, this time a solo homer from Derek Fisher to left-center, his third of the season, giving the Saints a 5-2 lead.

The Saints put the game away in the eighth with a four spot. Cole Sturgeon led off with a double to right-center. Elliot Soto walked. With one out, Curtis Terry walked for the fourth time, a career high, to load the bases. Fisher's grounder to second was misplayed by Trent Giambrone allowing Sturgeon to score and increasing the lead to 6-2. Jermaine Palacios made it 7-2 with an RBI single to right. A fielder's choice by Godoy scored a run and the subsequent throwing error on the play scored the Saints ninth run.

Reliever Wladimir Pinto pitched was perfect pitching the final 2.0 innings while striking out five.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the six-game series on Sunday at 2:07 p.m. at CHS Field. The Saints send RHP Cole Sands (0-3, 7.82) against I-Cubs RHP Caleb Kilian (0-0, 1.83). The game can be seen on 45TV and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from May 7, 2022


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