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AA St. Paul Saints

Offensive Explosion as Saints Down Railroaders 8-5

July 10, 2018 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The last time the St. Paul Saints scored at least eight runs in a win at home was August 20, 2017. The team they played that night, the Cleburne Railroaders. On Monday night at CHS Field in front of 7,003 the Saints once again scored eight runs against the Railroaders and beat them by the identical score they did on that night, 8-5.

The Saints jumped out to a 7-0 lead after four innings and they utilized two big home runs in that span. In the third Dante Bichette Jr. led off with a single to left. Anthony Phillips followed with a walk and Luke Pettersen sacrificed the two runners over. Max Murphy followed with a two-run double to right making it 2-0 Saints. With two outs Burt Reynolds stepped to the plate and did what he has done since signing with the Saints. He crushed a two-run homer to left, his third straight game with a homer, 12th of the season and eighth in 12 games with the Saints, to make it 4-0. It's the 23rd time in Saints history, and the 21st different player, a player has homered in three straight games. No Saints player has homered in four straight.

In the fourth Matt Snyder led off with a walk and Justin O'Conner extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single to right-center. With one out Anthony Phillips crushed a three-run homer to left, his first of the season, to make it 7-0.

The Saints looked like they could put it on cruise control from there, unfortunately, Saints pitchers had trouble finding the strike zone. In the fifth starter Ryan Zimmerman walked leadoff hitter Blake Grant-Parks. With one out Angel Rosa singled to left. Zimmerman walked the next two hitters, including Rafael Palmeiro with the bases loaded, to make it 7-1. The last man Zimmerman faced, Levi Scott, singled home two making it 7-3. Beck Wheeler came on in relief and struck out Cameron Monger to end the inning.

In the fifth Wheeler struck out the first two hitters he faced, but then gave up back-to-back doubles to Grant-Parks and Trevor Sealey, making it 7-4. Wheeler walked Rosa to put runners at first and second. With a switch hitter and a lefty coming to the plate the Saints went to the bullpen for unscored upon lefty Ken Frosch. He, however, walked both Chase Simpson and then Rafael Palmeiro with the bases loaded, to make it 7-5. Mike Devine took over and got Scott to ground into an inning ending fielder's choice. The Saints walked a season high nine on Monday night.

The Saints tacked on an insurance run in the sixth when Reynolds singled with two outs, stole second and advanced to third on the throwing error by the catcher. Brady Shoemaker knocked home Reynolds to give the Saints a three-run lead.

Devine retired all seven men he faced and struck out three while Zack Jones earned the save with a hitless, scoreless ninth while striking out two.

The same two teams meet in game two of the three game series on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints are TBA while the Railroaders send RHP Dylan Mouzakes (1-3, 4.39) to the mound. We take you back to 1998 and the first 1,500 fans receive an inflatable bat. The game can be seen on the Saints Cable Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, and heard on Alt 93.3 FM.

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