AA St. Paul Saints

Canaries Come Back to Beat Saints 4-3 Thursday

Published on June 25, 2009 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN (June 25, 2009) - The St. Paul Saints were unable to complete the sweep of the Sioux Falls Canaries as they were downed 4-3 Thursday night at Midway Stadium in front of 5,818 fans. For the third home series in a row, the Saints have won the first two games but dropped the series finale to their opponent. Saints starter Charlie Ruud became the all-time strikeouts leader in team history but was forced to depart the game early after suffering a broken nose in the top of the fifth inning. Trailing 3-0, the Canaries continued to fight and overtook the Saints after getting to relievers Kyle Foster and Mike Bille.

With the Saints on top 3-1 in the sixth, Foster came on in relief of Ruud, much to the delight of the Canaries lineup. After Cory Harris singled, Trevor Lawhorn doubled to put runners at the corners with two outs. Patrick Reilly then smashed a base hit up the middle, scoring Harris and Lawhorn to tie the game at 3-3. An inning later against Bille, the Canaries took their first lead of the night. Jared Lemieux reached base after being hit by a pitch and scored on an RBI single by Joe Anthonsen. That put the Canaries on top 4-3, a lead they would not surrender.

The Saints did have a prime opportunity to tie the game but could not get the job done. With one out in the seventh Andrew Schmiesing singled. He then took off on a hit-and-run with Tony Mansolino. Mansolino stroked a single to right field and Schmiesing tried to score all the way from first base but was thrown out at the plate, seemingly taking all the air out of the Saints balloon. Canaries closer Kris Regas came on for the final 1.2 innings, not allowing a run, or even a hit. Regas walked one and struck out one en route to picking up his 13th save of the season.

Canaries starter Ryan Ford won his first game of the year, going 6.0 innings, giving up three runs on five hits while walking three and striking out seven. The 26-year-old left hander was spectacular with the exception of the third inning. Ford knew he had to throw his best stuff, because a Canaries loss would have mathematically eliminated them from a first half division title.

With a scoreless game in the bottom of the third, the Saints bats came to life. Steve Butler lead off with a double and after an Andrew Schmiesing sacrifice, Tony Mansolino doubled home the first run of the night. The next batter was Todd Self who blasted an opposite field two-run homer, giving the Saints a 3-0 lead. It was Self's fourth round tripper of the season and his first off of a left handed pitcher.

Before leaving with an injury, Ruud tossed 5.0 innings, allowing just one run on five hits while walking two and striking out two. His strikeout of Patrick Reilly in the second gave him 290 strikeouts in his Saints career, tying Jake Whitney's all-time record. An inning later he got Jared Lemieux to go down swinging and number 291 placed himself as the Saints all-time strikeout king.

The Saints now head to Wichita in a key series with the first half of the season winding down. Wichita leads the North Division by 5.5 games with only ten remaining. The visiting Saints will send RHP Reed Dickert (1-2, 3.86) to the mound in the series opener, and he will oppose Wingnuts RHP Gabe Medina (5-2, 2.86). The game can be heard live on Relevant Radio 1330 or by logging on to Saintsbaseball.com.

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American Association Stories from June 25, 2009


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