Dobnak Strong in First Start, Saints Fall in 11, 4-3
May 7, 2021 - International League (IL) - St. Paul Saints News Release
OMAHA, NE - Randy Dobnak began his quest to get stretched out as a starter and looked sharp. The St. Paul Saints got two more home runs from Rob Refsnyder and Trevor Larnach. The offense, however, fanned 19 times and went 2-13 with runners in scoring position while leaving 15 men on base, including the bases loaded three times in a 4-3, 11 inning loss to the Omaha Storm Chasers on Thursday night at Werner Park.
With the score tied at two in the 10th and Larnach at second to begin the extra inning, Brent Rooker walked. With one out, Travis Blankenhorn came through with an RBI single that scored Larnach, Rooker went to third and Blankenhorn took second on the throw as the Saints grabbed a 3-2 lead. JT Riddle was intentionally walked to load the bases, but a strikeout of Tomás Telis and a groundout by Drew Maggi ended the inning.
In the bottom of the inning, a one out single by Kelvin Gutierrez scored Emmanuel Rivera tying the game at three.
The Saints were unable to push across a run in the 11th despite a leadoff single by Keon Broxton that put runners at the corners. Back-to-back strikeouts of Refsnyder and Larnach was followed by a walk to Rooker to load the bases. Ryan Jeffers, however, bounced back to the mound to end the inning.
The Storm Chasers won it in the bottom of the inning on a one out single by Kevin Merrell.
Dobnak was strong in his 4.0 innings of work allowing just two hits and striking out five throwing 59 pitches, 34 for strikes. He allowed just one runner as far as second base and struck out the side in his final inning of work.
The Saints jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Refsnyder led off the game with a solo home run to right on the second pitch he saw. The 423-foot shot was his second of the season and second in as many days.
In the third, Larnach mashed a 458-foot solo homer to right, his second of the season and second in as many days making it 2-0.
The Saints had an opportunity to tack on to the lead in the fifth when Broxton led off with an infield single to third. Refsnyder followed with an infield single and the throwing error on the play moved the runners to second and third. With one out, Rooker walked to load the bases, but Jeffers and Blankenhorn struck out to end the inning.
The Storm Chasers tied it in the seventh as Anderson Miller drilled a solo home run just over the right field wall to make it 2-1. With one out, Edward Olivares continued his hot start to the season with a single to right. With Olivares running on the pitch, Kyle Isbel doubled to right and Olivares just beat the relay throw home tying the game at two.
The same two teams meet in game four of the six game series on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. at Werner Park. The Saints send RHP Griffin Jax (NR) to the mound against Storm Chasers RHP Ronald Bolaños (NR). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.
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