IL St. Paul Saints

Joe Ryan Starts, Spencer Steer Finishes, Saints Win on Walk-Off Homer 4-3

June 9, 2022 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The fans at CHS Field came for Joe Ryan. They stayed for Spencer Steer. Ryan was magnificent in his 3.0 innings of Major League rehab, but it was Steer who hit the walk-off two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning to send the Saints to their season high fourth consecutive victory, 4-3 over the Rochester Red Wings in front of 5,626.

The Saints had scored double-digit runs in the last three games, but were down 3-0 in the ninth. Jermaine Palacios led off the inning with a double to the left-center field gap. Michael Helman grounded out to third and Curtis Terry popped out. Up stepped the birthday boy, John Andrioli, who was 1-13 since joining the Saints. He promptly hit a two-run homer the opposite way, over the right field wall, his first with the Saints and third of the season, making it 3-2. It was the 14th consecutive game the Saints had homered, one shy of the franchise record. Pinch hitter Alex Kirilloff followed with an infield single to second. That brought up Steer who was 0-4 up to that point. He took a 1-1 pitch and drilled it over the left-center field wall for the walk-off home run. It was his eighth home run in 16 games with the Saints and sixth in his last four games.

Ryan was sharp during his scheduled 3.0 inning start. He retired the side in order in the first getting two strikeouts and a groundout.

In the second, Jake Noll reached on a fielding error by the shortstop Palacios. Ryan then got a pop out, strikeout, and fly out to end the inning.

In the third, Ryan retired the first two hitters on a strikeout and flyout to center. He gave up his lone hit, a double to left-center, to Andrew Stevenson. Ryan then got Cole Freeman to line out to center to end his night. Ryan went 3.0 shutout innings allowing one hit while striking out four. He threw 40 pitches, 32 for strikes while mixing in all of his pitches.

In the first inning after Ryan departed, the Red Wings took the lead courtesy of the long ball. With one out in the fourth, Jake Noll singled off Ronny Henriquez. The next batter, Josh Palacios, hit a two-run homer to right, his third of the season, putting the Red Wings up 2-0.

The score stayed that way until the eighth when the Red Wings tacked on what they thought was an important insurance run as Cole Freeman doubled to right-center with one out. He stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly from Joey Meneses increasing the lead to 3-0. The lead looked safe, but the hottest offense in the Minor Leagues over the last three days proved that they just need one inning to put up a crooked number for the win.

The same two teams meet in game four of the six-game series on Friday night at 7:07 p.m. at CHS Field. The Saints send Major League rehabber, RHP Josh Winder (NR), to the mound against Red Wings RHP Cade Cavalli (3-3, 4.94). The game can be seen on FOX9+ and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from June 9, 2022


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