Sports stats

IL St. Paul Saints

Extra, Extra, Saints Win in 11, 5-4 Over Clippers

August 30, 2023 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - Last season the St. Paul Saints played the most extra inning games in all of baseball, with 21. Entering play on Tuesday night only six teams in all of Minor League Baseball had played fewer extra inning games than the Saints six this season. For the first time since June 16, the Saints needed more than nine innings to complete a game and a sacrifice fly from Yunior Severino sent the Saints to a 5-4 win over the Columbus Clippers at CHS Field in front of 6,530. The win improves the Saints to 30-22 in the second half.

In the top of the 11th, Saints reliever Austin Brice mowed down the first two hitters of the inning with the placed runner at second. Then he got Bryan Lavastida to ground out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the inning Trevor Larnach, the placed runner at second, took third on a DaShawn Keirsey Jr. groundout. Severino then lifted a fly ball to the warning track in left that scored Larnach for the game winner.

The Clippers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and got on the board in the first. Brayan Rocchio led off the game with a double to right. He took third on a fly out and scored on Major League rehabber David Fry's single to left making it 1-0.

The Clippers made it 2-0 in the second when Lavastida doubled with one out, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on Daniel Schneeman's RBI single.

The Saints grabbed the lead in the bottom of the inning courtesy of Severino. Back-to-back walks to start the inning put runners at first and second. With one out Severino drilled a three-run homer over the right field wall, his fifth of the season, putting the Saints up 3-2.

Patrick Murphy, who for the third straight appearance came on in relief of Blayne Enlow who was scheduled to go just 2.0 innings, was superb. Murphy hurled 5.0 scoreless innings allowing three hits while walking three and fanning five to keep the Saints one run lead.

Jordan Balazovic pitched a perfect eighth and went out for the ninth. Kyle Manzardo led off with a single to left, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on a Lavastida single tying the game at three.

In the 10th, José Tena knocked in the placed runner with a one out double to center giving the Clippers a 4-3 lead.

The Saints tied it in the bottom of the inning when the placed runner at second, Jair Camargo, scored on a play in which three errors were committed. Andrew Stevenson hit a grounder to first that was mishandled by Micah Pries for the first error. Pries then threw to first with the pitcher Nic Enright covering, but the throw went by Enright and off the facing of the Saints dugout which allowed Camargo to score on the second error. Enright, in his attempt to get Camargo at the plate, bounced the throw in the dirt which allowed Stevenson to take second for the third error. The Saints couldn't plate Stevenson, but one inning later they celebrated a walk-off win.

The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series on Wednesday Night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP David Festa (NR) to the mound against Clippers RHP Jared Eickhoff (1-4, 7.59). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, the Bally Live app (free), and MiLB.TV (subscription), and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

Check out the St. Paul Saints Statistics



International League Stories from August 30, 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.

Other Recent St. Paul Saints Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central