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IL St. Paul Saints

Barnes Outduels Royals #4 Prospect, Kowar, as Saints Double-Up Storm Chasers 4-2

July 3, 2021 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints have witnessed the Kansas City Royals #4 prospect Jackson Kowar on two previous occasions this season. They haven't fared well. On Saturday night, Saints starter Charlie Barnes, who entered play with the eighth best ERA in Triple-A East, bested Kowar as the Saints took down the Omaha Storm Chasers 4-2 at CHS Field in front of a season high crowd of 8,609. The win assured the Saints of their first series victory, and second of the season, since sweeping the Iowa Cubs in a six-game series from May 25-30.

Kowar, who hadn't given up a home run in 35.1 innings at Triple-A this season, had that streak end in the first inning. After a Jose Miranda leadoff walk, two batters later Brent Rooker clubbed his 14th homer of the season, a 426-foot blast over the left-center field wall, putting the Saints up 2-0.

A pivotal play occurred in the second when Barnes got help from his defense. With one out, Bubba Starling and Nick Dini both singled putting runners at first and second. With two outs Ian Miller lined a single to right, but Jimmy Kerrigan came up throwing and gunned down Starling at the plate to keep the game 2-0.

The Storm Chasers got one back in the third when Angelo Castellano led off with a single to left. A walk to Erick Mejia put runners at first and second. Rudy Martin's sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third and Gabriel Cancel's sacrifice fly made it 2-1.

The Saints answered back in the bottom of the inning with their second homer of the game. Drew Maggi drilled a solo homer to left-center increasing the lead to 3-1. Maggi has now homered in three straight games becoming the first Saints player to accomplish the feat.

Keon Broxton, coming off a three-hit game on Friday night, started the fifth with a double to left. Miranda reached on a fielding error by the shortstop Castellano that moved Broxton to third. A wild pitch would score Broxton putting the Saints up 4-1. Kowar lasted 5.0 innings giving up a season high four runs (three earned) on four hits while walking two and striking out 10.

The Storm Chasers tacked on a run in the sixth when Cancel led off with a double, stole third, and scored on a groundout from Ryan McBroom making it 4-2.

In his final inning of work, Barnes retired the side in the seventh, including fanning two. He went 7.0 innings allowing two runs on six hits while walking one and striking out three.

Ian Hamilton finished it off picking up his first save of the season with 2.0 perfect innings of relief while striking out four.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the six-game series on Sunday evening at 6:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Chandler Shepherd (3-3, 6.69) to the mound against Storm Chasers LHP Jake Kalish (1-1, 7.83). The game can be seen on 45TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from July 3, 2021


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