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AA St. Paul Saints

Bats, Beck's Arm Carry Saints to 9-7 Victory over RailCats

August 9, 2019 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints slugged three home runs and Landon Beck was tremendous for 4.2 hitless innings out of the bullpen. The Saints needed to hang on at the end as they defeated the Gary SouthShore RailCats 9-7 on Friday night at CHS Field in front of 9,211.

The RailCats got on the board first in the first against starter John Kilichowski. With one out MJ Rookard walked and stole second. Rookard advanced to third on a wild pitch and, with two outs, scored on a throwing error by the shortstop Joey Wong giving the RailCats a 1-0 lead.

The Saints responded with three in the second inning off of the fourth best pitcher in the league by ERA, Justin Sinibaldi. With one out Josh Allen reached on a single off the foot of Sinibaldi. On a hit and run, Chesny Young singled to right sending Allen to third. A sacrifice fly by Chris Baker tied the game at one as Young advanced to second on the throw home. Joey Wong gave the Saints a 2-1 lead with an RBI double to left-center. Dan Motl's single to right-center scored Wong making it 3-1.

In the third, Kilichowski retired the first two hitters before giving up an infield single to Colin Willis and a double to Danny De La Calle. Back-to-back walks plated a run and cut the Saints lead to one, at 3-2. Kilichowski departed for Beck who retired Marcus Mooney on a fielder's choice to end the inning.

The Saints extended their lead in the sixth when John Silviano blasted his first home run of the night and eighth of the year, a solo shot to right-center, making it 4-2 Saints. Jeremy Martinez then doubled to right and moved to third when Allen laid down a bunt and the catcher De La Calle's throw to third wasn't in time. Young's double play ground out scored Martinez increasing the lead to 5-2.

In the seventh Michael Lang crushed a solo homer to right-center, his seventh of the season and second with the Saints, making it 6-2.

Beck was cruising along allowing just a hit batter in the fifth as he entered the eighth inning. He walked the leadoff hitter Willis and then hit De La Calle. Beck got John Price Jr. to fly out, his last batter of the night. Ken Frosch came on in relief and gave up an infield single to Hayden Schilling to load the bases. Frosch would get Mooney to foul out to first for the second out of the inning. Alex Crosby, however, would reach out and poke a two-run bloop single into left cutting the Saints lead to 6-4. Beck was charged with the two runs going 4.2 hitless innings while walking one and striking out five. Frosch would end the inning by getting Rookard to fly out to left.

The Saints tacked on three big insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning as Silviano led off the frame with a solo shot off the left field pole, his second of the night and ninth of the season, making it 7-4. With one out Allen was hit by a pitch and then a wild play occured. Young drilled a ball to the wall in right that scored Allen. Young tried to stretch it into a triple and the relay throw from the second baseman Schilling to third was a little wide. Young slid into third and as the ball got away he got up and scored giving the Saints a five run lead.

That proved to be huge because in the ninth the RailCats sent nine men to the plate. Mike Devine started the inning on the mound for the Saints and Randy Santiesteban led off with a walk. Thomas Walraven reached on a throwing error by Young at third and a single from Willis loaded the bases. Devine then got De La Calle to ground back to the mound as the runner at the plate was forced. Devine departed for Tanner Kiest. He walked John Price Jr. to force in a run making it 9-5. Then the play of the game happened as Schilling hit a line drive to the right of the shortstop Wong, who made an incredible diving catch for the second out of the inning. Marcus Mooney followed by knocking home two with a single to left cutting the Saints lead to two. An infield single by Crosby loaded the bases, but Kiest struck out pinch hitter Andy DeJesus to end the game.

The same two teams meet in the second game of the three game series on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Jake Matthys (7-4, 5.96) to the mound against RailCats LHP Seth Hougesen (2-2, 6.21). It is Super Hamline University Heroes. The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM and seen on the Saints Cable Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities.

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