AA St. Paul Saints

How the South Was Won: Saints Finish off Season-Long Success against Other Division with Sweep of T-Bones 9-3

Published on August 5, 2018 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints have dominated the South Division in 2018. Unfortunately, they play in the North and their final 27 games are all against North Division teams. They finished off a three-game sweep of the second-best team in the league, the Kansas City T-Bones, as every starter collected a hit in a 15-hit barrage. The 9-3 victory at CHS Field, in front of 8,106, improved the Saints to a season tying high nine games over .500, 41-32, and they remain 2.0 games out of first in the North and 0.5 games out of the second playoff spot. They finished the season 25-12 against the South, a division that has the top three teams in terms of record, in it.

The Saints jumped all over T-Bones starter Lucas Irvine and they got to him for four runs in the second as they sent 10 men to the plate. Zach Walters led off with a double to right. Dante Bichette Jr's bunt single put runners at the corners with nobody out. Nathaniel Maggio was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Justin O'Conner gave the Saints a 2-0 lead with a two-run single to left-center. After a sacrifice bunt by Anthony Phillips moved the runners to second and third, Max Murphy collected his first of a career tying high five RBI with an RBI groundout to short making it 3-0. Kyle Barrett finished the scoring in the inning with an RBI single to right making it 4-0.

With the score 4-1 in the fourth Phillips led off with a single to right-center. Murphy then crushed a two-run homer to left, his third of the season, making it 6-1. Barrett followed with a single to right-center and, with two outs, Walters doubled him home making it 7-1. Walters finished the night 2-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored.

With the Saints up 7-2 in the fifth they chased Irvine from the game as Maggio led off with a single to right-center. He went to second on a single by O'Conner and a sacrifice by Phillips moved the runners up. Murphy finished his big day with a two-run single to right-center making it 9-2. Murphy finished the game 2-5 with a home run, five RBI and a run scored. Irvine went 4.1 innings allowing nine runs on 13 hits.

Saints starter Chris Nunn was solid giving up an RBI double in the fourth to Noah Perio Jr. and an RBI groundout to Tucker Pennell in the fifth. He went 5.1 innings allowing two runs on six hits while walking one and striking out six. He improved to 4-2 on the season.

Mike Devine pitched a perfect ninth and increased his consecutive scoreless streak to 20.0 innings.

The Saints begin a three-game series against the Sioux Falls Canaries at Sioux Falls Stadium on Monday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Trevor Foss (2-2, 3.22) to the mound against Canaries RHP Dylan Thompson (4-7, 5.55). The game can be heard on Alt 93.3 FM.

Check out the St. Paul Saints Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Association Stories from August 5, 2018


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.

OurSports Central