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AA St. Paul Saints

Perfect 10: Saints Win Season Finale, Wait to See If They Are Division Champs

September 3, 2018 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints needed to win the season finale in order to give themselves a chance at the North Division title. Down 6-1 entering the sixth inning, the Saints scored a season-high 10 runs and went on to defeat the Winnipeg Goldeyes 11-10 on Monday morning, at CHS Field, in front of 6,769. The win finalizes the regular season record at 59-41, moving the Saints ahead of the Gary SouthShore RailCats by a 0.5 game. The RailCats, who hold the tie-breaker, are currently still in progress as the Saints await the result to determine who wins the division and home field advantage in the North Division series.

Down five runs in the bottom of the sixth, the Saints sent 14 men to the plate to score the most runs in a single inning since June 23, 2009, when they scored 11. Kyle Barrett led off with a single, extending his hitting streak to 27-games and moving into second place all-time in Saints history. Brady Shoemaker then walked and Zach Walters singled home Barrett to make it 6-2. The next batter, Dante Bichette Jr. doubled down the right field line to score Shoemaker, and Aaron Gretz hit an RBI groundout to bring in Walters, making it 6-4. Then, with two outs, Dan Motl scorched a ball through the left side to score Bichette Jr. and Joey Wong walked to put runners at first and second. Then, Max Murphy drilled his seventh home run of the season out to left to give the Saints their first lead at 8-6. Having batted around, Barrett reignited the rally. Collecting his second single of the inning, Shoemaker walked again and Walters belted a three-run homer into the Goldeyes bullpen in left. It was his second home run of the game, 15th on the season and ninth as a Saint, to complete the 10-run frame and put the Saints ahead 11-6. The homer came from the right side from the switch-hitting Walters, who blasted his first one from the left side.

The win went to Saints starter Ryan Zimmerman, who pitched 6.0 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out four. He allowed four of those runs in the first.

The Goldeyes took an early lead when the second batter of the game, Grant Heyman, hit a solo home run to right. After the next two batters reached, Tucker Nathans doubled in one and, with two outs, Tyler Baker singled in two more to make it 4-0.

The Goldeyes created their largest lead of the game when Baker hit a solo homer to right in the fourth, making it 5-0.

The Saints got on the board in the bottom of the inning on Walters first home run, a solo shot to right-center to cut the deficit to 5-1.

Heyman hit his second home run of the game off of Zimmerman in the fifth to make it 6-1.

After the Saints 10-run sixth however, the Goldeyes did not roll over. Reaching base five straight times to begin the seventh off of Saints reliever Andrew Thome, the Goldeyes scored three runs and the lead shrunk to 11-9. Then, Mike Devine entered with runners at first and second and nobody out, and got out of the jam by inducing a double play and getting Baker to pop out.

Devine, despite giving up a solo home run in the ninth to Nathans to make it 11-10, was strong over the final 3.0 innings. He allowed just two hits and struck out two while walking none. He collected his sixth save of the season.

The Saints get set to play the Gary SouthShore RailCats in the North Division series beginning Tuesday. As Gary has not finished and the result determines home field advantage, the Saints are unsure who will host. It will either be at CHS Field at 7:05 p.m. or at the U.S. Steel Yard at 7:10 p.m. More details are set to come.

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