AA St. Paul Saints

Lord moves into tie for league lead in wins; Buchanan homers for third straight game

July 22, 2006 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints started slow but finished fast Saturday night. Brian Buchanan's home run capped a seven-run seventh inning outburst as the Saints completed a sweep of St. Joseph with a 10-3 victory before a standing room only crowd of 7,012 at Midway Stadium.

Justin Lord (8-1) moved into a tie for the league lead with a seven inning effort. Lord coughed up a pair of solo home runs to league leader Wil Quintana as the Blacksnakes jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first three innings.

Nick Gretz's solo home run in the fourth inning was the only offense St. Paul could muster until the big seventh.

In that inning, St. Paul sent 10 batters to the plate against starter Andrew Edwards and three successors. St. Joe led, 3-2, and appeared to be out of the inning when SS Jimmy Mojica misplayed Adam Olow's two-out ground ball for an error. One run scored to tie the game. Gretz followed with a RBI single to break the tie and give St. Paul a 4-3 lead. Brian Sprout's two-RBI single and Buchanan's third homer in as many games (which tied a team record) turned it into an 8-3 game in a hurry. Olow's two-RBI single the next inning ended the scoring as St. Paul beat the Blacksnakes for the seventh straight time this season at Midway Stadium.

Buchanan had a big series, going 8-for-13 with three doubles, three home runs and 15 RBI. Sprout, the league leader in bating average, stretched his hitting streak to nine games in a row with two hits. He went 6-for-10 in the series and is now hitting .379.

Vinnie DeChristofaro (0-1), the second of five St. Joe pitchers, took the loss.

St. Paul improved to a season high 13 games over .500 with an overall record of 38-25. They stand 9-6 in the second half North Division race, a game ahead of second place Sioux Falls.

Anthony Boughner (5-5) gets the call Sunday at 5:05 p.m. when the Saints start a four-game series at first half North champ Lincoln.

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American Association Stories from July 22, 2006


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