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IL St. Paul Saints

Leadoff Walks Hurt Saints in 6-5 Loss to I-Cubs

August 26, 2022 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


DES MOINES, IA - Each time the St. Paul Saints extended their lead, the Iowa Cubs would answer. Three consecutive innings in which the Saints walked the leadoff man proved extremely costly, the last of which came in a three-run eighth inning. The Saints dropped their fourth straight game losing 6-5 to the Iowa Cubs on Friday night at Principal Park.

With the Saints leading 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth Jovani Moran walked the leadoff hitter, Michael Hermosillo. Matt Mervis followed with a single putting runners at first and second. With one out, Alexander Canario was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A walk to John Hicks plated a run making it 5-4. Jackson Frazier then put the I-Cubs up 6-5 with a two-run single into right.

The Saints had an opportunity in the ninth when Matt Wallner led off with an infield single and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but three straight strikeouts ended the game.

Saints starter Ronny Henriquez was excellent giving up just two hits through the first four innings. His lone mistake came in the fifth courtesy of a solo homer from Hicks, his 15th of the season, making it 1-0. Henriquez went 5.0 innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out six.

The Saints offense didn't have a baserunner through the first four innings. Their first hit was a two outs single in the fifth by Nash Knight. In the sixth the Saints put up a three-run inning. With one out, Michael Helman reached on a throwing error by the third baseman Esteban Quiroz. Wallner drove him home with a double to right tying the game at one. After a walk to Chris Williams, back-to-back RBI singles by Mark Contreras and Jermaine Palacios gave the Saints a 3-1 lead.

The I-Cubs got one back in the bottom of the inning. Juan Minaya came on in relief for the Saints and walked the leadoff hitter, Trent Giambrone. He stole second, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Hermosillo cutting the Saints lead to 3-2.

In the top of the seventh, the Saints added an insurance run. Andrew Bechtold led off with a walk. With two outs, Wallner walked and Williams followed with an RBI single to right making it 4-2 Saints.

In the bottom of the inning the I-Cubs grabbed a run back. Hicks led off the inning with a walk, moved to third on a single by Quiroz, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-3.

For the third straight inning the Saints scored a run and they loaded the bases with nobody out as Palacios singled, John Andreoli walked, and Knight singled. An RBI groundout by Bechtold gave the Saints a 5-3 lead.

The same two teams meet in game five of a six-game series at 6:08 p.m. on Saturday night at Principal Park. The Saints send RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (0-0, 9.00) and the I-Cubs are TBA. The game can be seen on MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from August 26, 2022


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