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AA St. Paul Saints

Cole Nelson Leaves Mid-Game After Having Contract Purchased by Braves, Saints Lose 11-3

June 17, 2013 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN (June 17, 2013) - Not even having one of their outstanding pitchers get his contract purchased by a Major League organization during the game could help lead the St. Paul Saints to victory. The Saints were drilled by the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Monday night at Midway Stadium 11-3 in front of 3,771.

It was a battle of two good lefties with the Goldeyes throwing Mark Hardy and the Saints countering with Cole Nelson. In the first each gave up a solo homer to the number two hitter, Amos Ramon, who hit his fourth of the season for the Goldeyes, and Joey Becker, who hit his third of the season for the Saints.

Much like Sunday afternoon's game in Wichita, however, the Saints couldn't prevent the Goldeyes from scoring in multiple innings. The Goldeyes put up two runs in the third when number nine hitter, Nate Samson, who came in hitting .182, singled to lead off the inning. He would collect three hits and two RBI in the game. Tyler Graham moved him to second with a single. With one out Josh Mazzola was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Nelson uncorked a wild pitched that scored Samson to give the Goldeyes a 2-1 lead. Casey Haerther's sacrifice fly gave the Goldeyes a 3-1 lead.

In the fourth Fehlandt Lentini led off with a double, moved to third on a single by Luis Alen and scored on a single from Samson to make it 4-1.

In the fifth inning a special moment occurred for Nelson. With a runner on first and nobody out he struck out Leonard Davis. It would be the last batter he would face in a Saints uniform. His contract had just been purchased by the Atlanta Braves organization and he will be heading to the Rome Braves, the Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves in the South Atlantic League. Nelson's contract is the 109th the Saints have had purchased and becomes the 104th different player to join an affiliated club (five players have had their contracts purchased twice).

The newest member of the Saints, Dylan Thomas a St. Thomas University grad, took over. He would allow an RBI single to Luis Alen to make it 5-1.

The Saints answered back with a run in the bottom of the fifth when Willie Cabrera led off with a double and scored on Dwight Childs double to make it 5-2. Childs went 2-4 extending his career best hitting streak to 10 games.

With the Saints trailing 6-2 in the seventh the Goldeyes put the game away with a five run inning. Samson added an RBI single while Ramon and Mazzola each walked with the bases loaded. Davis finished the scoring with a two-run single to make it 11-2.

The same two teams meet in the second game of the three game series on Tuesday night at Midway Stadium at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Anthony Claggett (3-1, 2.32) to the mound against Goldeyes LHP Aaron Correa (0-0, 3.68). Because last year was our 20th birthday, we celebrate our 20th Anniversary. The game can be heard on Club 1220 AM and in the ballpark on 87.9 FM.

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