IL St. Paul Saints

Grand Finale: Palacios' Walk-Off Grand Slam in 10th Sends Saints to 8-4 Win over I-Cubs

Published on July 31, 2022 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - Prior to the game, Jermaine Palacios was named the Minnesota Twins Minor League Player of the Week. On Sunday afternoon at CHS Field, he got an early jump on the field for next week. He ripped the game-tying double in the eighth and the walk-off grand slam in the 10th gave the Saints an 8-4 comeback victory over the Iowa Cubs in front of 8,166. It was the eighth walk-off win of the season for the Saints as they took four of six from the I-Cubs and improved to 47-50.

With the Saints down 4-3 in the eighth and one out, Jake Cave doubled to left-center. With two outs, Palacios roped a double down the right field line scoring Cave.

In the 10th with Jared Young the placed runner at second for the I-Cubs, Levi Jordan popped up a sacrifice bunt to third. Reliever Michael Feliz then got Zach Davis to ground out to short and Andrelton Simmons flew out to left to end the inning.

In the bottom of the inning with John Andreoli the placed runner at second, David Bañuelos dropped down a bunt single to put runners at the corners. Bañuelos took second on defensive indifference and, with one out, the I-Cubs intentionally walked Cave to load the bases. After a strikeout of Michael Helman, up stepped Palacios. On the very first pitch of the at bat, he slugged a grand slam to left-center, his 10th home run of the season and second grand slam in nine days. They are the first two grand slams of his career. Palacios finished day 2-5 with a double, grand slam, five RBI, and a run scored.

The Saints jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third. Andreoli led off the inning with a walk. He stole second, moved to third on a fly out, and scored on an infield single from Spencer Steer giving the Saints a 1-0 lead. Cave then launched an opposite field two-run homer to left, his 14th of the season, putting the Saints up 3-0. Cave finished the day 2-3 with a double, home run, two RBI, and three runs scored.

In the top of the fourth, the Saints had their season high 12.0 inning scoreless streak snapped as the I-Cubs finally got to starter Ariel Jurado. Simmons led off with a single to right. He moved to second on a groundout and with two outs scored on a Matt Mervis single to right cutting the Saints lead to 3-1. Jurado went 4.0 innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out seven.

Caleb Thielbar made his Major League rehab appearance in the fifth and pitched a perfect inning getting a fly out, groundout, and strikeout.

The I-Cubs grabbed the lead in the sixth as Davis led off the inning with an infield single to third. He stole second and scored on a one out single by Major League rehabber Nick Madrigal making it 3-2. Narciso Crook followed with a two-run homer to left, his fourth of the series and 17th of the season, putting the I-Cubs up 4-3.

The Saints earned their 26th come from behind win and improved to 7-9.

The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday at Werner Park at 7:05 p.m. against the Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals). The Saints send LHP Devin Smeltzer (1-2, 3.46) to the mound and the Storm Chasers are TBA. The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from July 31, 2022


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