AA St. Paul Saints

Clutch Homers Propel Saints to 8-7 Win Over Wingnuts

Published on August 11, 2011 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN (August 11, 2011) - After doing damage in the first inning the St. Paul Saints bats went silent, until two thunderous roars late in the game and the St. Paul Saints extended their wild card lead to 3.0 games over the Wichita Wingnuts, with 17 games left, with an 8-7 victory on Thursday night at Midway Stadium in front of 5,776.

After plating three runs in the first Wingnuts starter Chad Sherman retired 15 in a row until a two out double by Argelis Nunez in the sixth inning. With the Saints down 5-3 the Wingnuts went to their bullpen for Kendy Batista, who had given up just one earned run in his last 19.0 innings pitched. Batista was greeted with an infield single off of his glove by Richard Mercado and then Jonathan Van Every lined a three-run homer over the right field wall, his 19th of the season, to give the Saints a 6-5 lead.

In the seventh, with Batista still in the game, Steve Mays singled to lead off the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then Ronnie Bourquin hit a two-run opposite field homer to left, his ninth of the season, to give the Saints some breathing room at 8-5. It turned out they would need those runs.

In the eighth Caleb Thielbar, who had pitched a scoreless seventh and extended his consecutive scoreless streak to 29.0 innings, gave up a single to Carlos Rivera and walked Jorge Delgado. After getting Josh Workman to ground out, which moved the runners up, Thielbar left the game for Kyle Foster. He got Pete Barrows to foul out, but Edwin Bellorin singled up the middle to score two and cut the Saints lead to one. It also ended Thielbar's scoreless streak at 29.1 innings, the longest in franchise history.

Foster locked it down in the ninth, retiring the side in order, earning his fifth save of the season.

The Saints jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first when Ole Sheldon doubled with two outs and Jason Cooper followed with a walk. Nunez doubled them both home, extending his streak to four straight games with a double. Mercado singled home Nunez to finish the scoring.

The Wingnuts would battle back getting two in the second when Carlos Rivera walked and moved to third on a double by Jorge Delgado. Two sacrifice flies by Josh Workman and Barrows made it 3-2.

The Wingnuts would tie an American Association record with their third sacrifice fly in the third and tie the game at three. Saints starter Edwin Walker would leave the ballgame after thee innings with tightness in his shoulder.

Robert Coe took over and the Wingnuts took their only lead of the game in the fourth when Workman walked, stole second and scored on Bellorin's triple to make it 4-3. Bellorin would score when Jose Duran's grounder when under the glove of second baseman Justin Snyder to make it 5-3.

The Saints now head out on the road for a three game series against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Newman Outdoor field beginning Friday night at 7:02 p.m. The Saints send RHP Matt Long (6-8, 5.32) to the mound against RedHawks LHP Jake Laber (8-6, 3.23). The game can be heard live on Relevant Radio 1330.

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American Association Stories from August 11, 2011


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