IL St. Paul Saints

Dobnak Dominates, But Saints Walked-Off by Mud Hens in Ninth, 5-4

June 21, 2023 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


TOLEDO OH - Randy Dobnak was on top of his game Wednesday afternoon at Fifth Third Field. He got 11 swings and misses between his slider and change up, was in command from the first pitch of the game, and left with a three-run lead. Unfortunately, the St. Paul Saints couldn't hold onto that lead, losing on a walk-off sacrifice fly, 5-4, to the Toledo Mud Hens. The loss drops the Saints record to 41-29.

With the Saints leading 4-1 in the bottom of the eighth, reliever Kody Funderburk gave up a leadoff double to Corey Joyce. After striking out Parker Meadows, Funderburk departed for Austin Schulfer. He walked the first batter he faced, Nick Solak, bringing up the tying run. Justyn-Henry Malloy then hit a three-run homer to left, his 11th of the season, tying the game at four.

In the bottom of the ninth, Michael Papierski led off with a walk. Grant Witherspoon singled into right-center putting runners at the corners. Joyce's sacrifice fly to right scored the winning run as Papierski scored easily from third.

For the 25th consecutive game the Saints went deep. Anthony Prato led off the second inning with a walk and, with two outs, Andrew Stevenson drilled a line drive two-run homer to right, his sixth of the season, putting the Saints up 2-0. The 25 consecutive games with a home run is the longest streak since the Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox, Triple-A, International League) had a home run in 26-consecutive games in 2019.

Dobnak was in control all afternoon long. After a one out single in the first, he retired the next six batters. He gave up a one out single in the third, then retired the next eight batters he faced.

Matt Wallner made it 3-0 in the fourth with a 424-foot solo blast to center, his ninth of the season.

The Mud Hens finally broke through against Dobnak in the sixth. With one out, Parker Meadows tripled to right-center and scored on a sacrifice fly from Nick Solak cutting the Saints lead to 3-1.

Chris Williams, who continues to be unconscious at the plate, hit a solo homer to left in the seventh putting the Saints up 4-1. It was Williams' 15th home run of the season and eighth in his last seven games.

Dobnak's day finished in the seventh. With one out, he gave up a double to Andre Lipcius. Dobnak then got Papierski to ground out to second moving Lipcius to third. That was the day for Dobnak as Funderburk came into the game and struck out Witherspoon. Dobnak went 6.2 innings allowing one run on five hits while striking out six. He threw 84 pitches, 61 for strikes.

By virtue of the loss, the Saints elimination number is one with four games to play. The Norfolk Tides can claim the one bid playoff berth in the first half with on win over their final six games or one Saints loss over their final four games.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series on Thursday night at 6:05 p.m. (CT) at Fifth Third Field. The Saints send RHP Blayne Enlow (0-1, 24.00) to the mound against Mud Hens RHP Matt Manning (0-0, 0.00). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from June 21, 2023


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