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IL St. Paul Saints

Ends Like It Started, Saints Batter Bats 12-5

June 18, 2023 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


LOUISVILLE, KY - The series started with all nine St. Paul Saints collecting a hit while putting up double-digit runs. It ended the same way. On Sunday afternoon at Louisville Slugger Field, all nine hitters collected a hit, seven of nine scored a run, and seven of nine had an RBI in a 12-5 thumping of the Louisville Bats. The win improves the Saints to 40-28 on the season.

Andrew Stevenson led off the game with a line drive single to center. Jose Miranda walked and a double steal moved them up to second and third. Back-to-back sacrifice flies from Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach gave the Saints a 2-0 lead.

The Bats sent nine men to the plate in the second and took the lead. Nick Martini led off the inning with a solo homer to right, his fifth of the season, cutting the Saints lead to 2-1. With two outs, Michael Siani walked and Eric Yang tied it at two with an RBI double. A walk to Alejo Lopez put runners at first and second. Jose Barrero then hit a grounder to short, but the first baseman Miranda dropped the throw from Elliot Soto loading the bases on the error. Major League rehabber Joey Votto drew a walk that forced in a run giving the Bats a 3-2 lead.

In the third, the Saints continued their impressive power prowess they've exhibited over the last three weeks. Stevenson led off with an infield single to second and that was followed by a two-run homer from Miranda, his second of the season, giving the Saints a 4-3 lead. The home run was the 23rd consecutive game the Saints have gone deep, the second longest streak in all of baseball this season only behind the Binghamton Rumble Ponies 24 consecutive games. With one out, Larnach walked and that was followed by Mark Contreras depositing one over the right field wall, his seventh of the season, increasing the lead to 6-3. Jair Camargo then reached on a fielding error by the shortstop Barrero. Henry Ramos then committed a mental error in right, as Anthony Prato flew out to him for the second out. Ramos, thinking it was the third out, flipped the ball into the stands which allowed Camargo to take third on the error. Andrew Bechtold made Ramos pay for the mistake with an RBI single down the first base line giving the Saints a 7-3 lead.

The Saints continued adding to their lead in the fourth as Stevenson led off the inning with a walk. Miranda followed with a single to right-center putting runners at the corners. Wallner collected his second RBI of the game with an RBI double off the wall in right making it 8-3. Two batters later, Contreras increased the lead to 9-3 with an RBI groundout.

In the fifth, the Saints offense continued to produce. With one out Bechtold walked, moved to second on a single by Elliot Soto, and scored on a single from Stevenson giving the Saints a 10-3 lead. Stevenson finished the day 3-5 with an RBI, three runs scored, and a stolen base.

The Bats grabbed two back in the bottom of the inning and it started with two outs and nobody on. Christian Encarnacion-Strand was hit by a pitch and Martini walked. Ramos singled home Encarnacion-Strand and the ball rolled under the glove of Wallner in right allowing Martini to score getting the Bats to within 10-5.

The Saints, however, built back the seven-run lead with two in the sixth. Wallner led off by being hit by a pitch. Larnach roped a single to right putting runners at first and second. With two outs, back-to-back RBI singles from Anthony Prato and Bechtold gave the Saints a 12-5 lead. Bechtold finished the day 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

Going into the final series of the first half, the Saints trail the Norfolk Tides by 5.0 games with six to play for the one playoff spot. The Tides magic number to clinch the first half title is two.

The Saints are off on Monday and the return to action for the final series of the first half, a six-game series against the Toledo Mud Hens at Fifth Third Field on Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. (CT). Both teams are TBA. The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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