Griffin Jax Dazzles, But Saints Come up Short, 4-2
May 7, 2021 - International League (IL) - St. Paul Saints News Release
OMAHA, NE - The last time Griffin Jax threw in a Triple-A game was August 19, 2019 allowing a run over 6.0 innings. He was just as strong on Friday night against the Omaha Storm Chasers, allowing just a run in 5.0 innings. The Saints, however, committed two errors in the seventh inning that led to three runs as they lost 4-2 at Werner Park.
The Saints staked Jax to a 1-0 lead in the third when Tzu-Wei Lin led off with a single to right-center. Keon Broxton doubled him to third. With one out Brent Rooker's RBI groundout plated Lin giving the Saints a 1-0 lead.
It stayed that way until the fourth when Jax walked Ryan McBroom with one out. With two outs, Meibrys Viloria singled McBroom to second. Gabriel Cancel's shallow fly ball to right dropped in for a single that scored McBroom tying the game at one.
The Saints wasted little time in regaining the lead as they loaded the bases with one out. Broxton reached on an infield single to second and Refsnyder and Rooker walked to load the bases. Ryan Jeffers then hit a bullet to left-center, but Edward Olivares made a sliding catch as Broxton scored making it 2-1.
Jax' final inning of work saw him give up a two-out single to center and then a failed pickoff attempt sent Kyle Isbel to third. Jax, however, would get Emmanuel Rivera to hit a grounder to third that Drew Maggi made a nice backhanded play on and threw out Rivera to end the inning. Jax went 5.0 innings allowing one run on four hits while walking three and striking out two.
For the second night in a row, the seventh inning proved trouble for the Saints. Kevin Merrell hit a grounder to first baseman Travis Blankenhorn. His throw was a little low to pitcher Juan Minaya covering as the ball clanked off his glove for a throwing error. With Merrell running, Olivares singled to left center that sent Merrell to third. Isbel then hit a ground ball back to the mound, but Minaya couldn't field it and Isbel reached on the error loading the bases. Minaya then hit Rivera to force in a run and tie the game at two. That was all for Minaya who made way for Glenn Sparkman. McBroom greeted him with a two-run single into the shift on the left side that found the tiniest of openings between short and third and put the Storm Chasers up for good at 4-2.
The same two teams meet in game five of the six game series on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Bailey Ober (NR) to the mound against Storm Chasers LHP Jake Kalish (0-1, 6.75). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM
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