IL St. Paul Saints

Clutch Cave, Saints Walk-Off Winners over Indianapolis 8-7

Published on May 29, 2022 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints carried a two-run lead into the top of the ninth inning. They couldn't hold it. Have no fear, the Saints hottest hitter came up clutch in the bottom of the ninth. Jake Cave, who extended his hitting streak to 11 earlier in the game, lined a game-winning RBI single to right as the Saints walked-off the Indianapolis Indians 8-7 on Sunday evening at CHS Field in front of a season high crowd of 8,169.

With the Saints leading 7-5 in the ninth, Jharel Cotton came on to close it out. He was greeted by a solo homer from Mason Martin, his 11th of the season, cutting the lead to one. Canaan Smith-Njigba followed with a hard single off the glove of Roy Morales at first. With one out Cole Tucker tied it with an RBI double to the gap in right-center.

That just added to the drama in the bottom of the ninth. With two outs and nobody on, Mark Contreras singled to left-center. He advanced to second on a passed ball. That proved to be big because on a 2-2 pitch, Cave lined a single to right. Contreras chugged around home and Smith-Njigba's throw was just enough to the first base side of home that Contreras slid in head first just ahead of the tag for the walk-off win.

The day didn't start off well for the Saints as the Indians wasted little time jumping on the board as Oneil Cruz led off the game with a solo homer to left, his seventh of the season, making it 1-0. With one out, Ji-Hwan Bae singled to right-center and then Jake Faria walked the next three hitters forcing in a run increasing the lead to 2-0.

The Indians tacked on a third run in the second. Jason Delay led off with a double to right. Cruz singled him to third and Delay scored on Bae's fielder's choice putting the Saints down 3-0.

In the bottom of the inning the Saints snagged a couple of runs back. Cave led off by reaching on a two base throwing error from the shortstop Cruz. With one out, Morales singled to right moving Cave to third. Caleb Hamilton then hit a slow grounder to third and Cole Tucker elected to come home, but his throw went past the catcher as Cave scored and Morales went to third on the error. Elliot Soto's RBI groundout got the Saints to within a run at 3-2.

In the bottom of the third the Saints grabbed the lead. Alex Kirilloff led off with a walk and, with one out, Contreras doubled him to third. Jake Cave then crushed a three-run homer just inside the right field pole, his third home run of the season and second in as many games that extended his hitting streak to 11 games, giving the Saint a 5-3 lead. Cave finished the day 2-5 with a home run, four RBI, and two runs scored.

The Indians made it 5-4 in the fourth when Travis Swaggerty walked with two outs and scored on a triple from Bae.

In the bottom of the fourth the Saints built a three-run lead as Hamilton began the inning with a single off the leg of pitcher John O'Reilly. With one out, David Bañuelos reached on an error by the shortstop Cruz putting runners at first and second. Kirilloff's RBI single plated Hamilton putting the Saints up 6-4. After a single by Spencer Steer loaded the bases, Contreras knocked home a run on a fielder's choice groundout building the Saints lead to 7-4.

Back-to-back doubles to start the fifth by Smith-Njigba and Bligh Madris got the Indians a run closer at 7-5. They would have enough to tie it, but the Saints got their second walk-off win in the last three games.

The Saints have Monday off and are back in action on Tuesday at Principal Park against the Iowa Cubs in game one of a six-game series at 6:38 p.m. Both teams are TBA. The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from May 29, 2022


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