IL St. Paul Saints

Dobnak Dominates, Wallner Homers Twice, Saints Roll to 13-7 Win

Published on June 29, 2023 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - Randy Dobnak has started to find his groove. The St. Paul Saints offense has been in a groove for quite a while. Dobnak tossed 5.0 shutout innings, the Saints hit four home runs, including two by Matt Wallner, as they trounced the Gwinnett Stripers 13-7 at CHS Field in front of 8,507. The win improves the Saints to 2-0 in the second half and a franchise record 14-games over .500 at 45-31.

The Saints exploded in the second for a five spot as they sent nine men to the plate. Trevor Larnach started the inning with a single to right and Chris Williams walked. Mark Contreras made it 1-0 with an RBI single to right. After Anthony Prato walked to load the bases, Mark Kolozsvary gave the Saints a 3-0 lead with a two-run single to left-center. With runners at the corners, Elliot Soto laid down a safety squeeze that scored Prato making it 4-0. Andrew Stevenson's RBI double, extending his hitting streak to 14, gave the Saints a 5-0 lead.

Dobnak rolled through the first three innings, allowing just two walks. He gave up his first hit, a one out single in the fourth, before retiring the next two hitters.

In the bottom of the fourth Kolozsvary gave the Saints a 6-0 lead with a solo homer to left-center, his first with the Saints and third of the season.

Dobnak finished off his night in the fifth. After a leadoff single, he got Daniel Robertson to ground into a double play. After a walk and a single, Dobnak finished his night with a strikeout of Forrest Wall. Dobnak went 5.0 shutout innings allowing three hits while walking three and striking out five. Over his last three starts, Dobnak has allowed three runs (one earned) while striking out 18 over 17.0 innings pitched.

Wallner crushed a solo homer to right in the fifth, his first of the night and 10th of the season, increasing the Saints lead to 7-0.

The Saints got their third home run in as many innings in the sixth. Prato led off with a walk and with two outs Stevenson clubbed an opposite field home run to left, his seventh of the season, making it 9-0. Stevenson went 2-5 with a double, home run, three RBI, and a run scored.

The seventh inning was a high scoring affair as the teams combined for nine runs. The Stripers got to within four with a five spot in the top half of the inning. Andrew Bechtold, in his second relief appearance as he transitions into a two-way player, gave up a one out double to Robertson. He walked Arden Pabst before fanning Eli White. Back-to-back walks forced in a run making it 9-1. After a pitching change to Connor Sadzeck, Jesus Aguilar hit a grand slam to left, his first of the year, cutting the lead to 9-5.

The Saints, however, responded in the bottom of the inning with four of their own. Wallner led off the inning with his second home run of the night, and 11th of the season, making it 10-5. Wallner finished the night 3-5 with two home runs, two RBI, and two runs scored. With one out Williams was hit by a pitch and Contreras singled him to third and took second on the throw to third. Prato made it 12-5 with an RBI double to center. Kolozsvary's RBI double increased the lead to 13-5. Kolozsvary went 3-4 with a career-tying high four RBI, and two runs scored.

The Stripers added a couple of runs in the ninth on a sacrifice fly from Aguilar and an RBI single by Braden Shewmake, but it wasn't nearly enough as the Saints have taken the first two games of the series.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series on Friday night at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Blayne Enlow (1-1, 11.05) to the mound against Stripers LHP Justus Sheffield (1-3, 10.29). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, the Bally Live app (free), and MiLB.TV (subscription), and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

Check out the St. Paul Saints Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from June 29, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central