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AA St. Paul Saints

Road Woes: Saints Lose for Sixth Straight Time Away from Home 6-0 to RedHawks

July 31, 2018 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


FARGO, ND - The St. Paul Saints have been dominant on the road for most of the season, but over their last six games they have not been able to get into the win column. In an all-important series with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks the Saints have now dropped the first two games as they were blanked 6-0 on Tuesday night at Newman Outdoor Field. The loss drops the Saints to 37-31 and are now 3.5 games out of first place and 2.5 games behind the RedHawks for the second playoff spot.

The game began as a pitcher's duel between the Saints Chris Nunn and RedHawks Sebastian Kessay. They traded zeroes for the first four innings, but in the fifth the RedHawks broke the seal. The number nine hitter Derrick Fox, hitting just .213, looped a one out single into left. Tim Colwell walked, but Nunn was able to retire Maikol Gonzalez on a pop out for the second out. Brennan Metzger, however, dropped a shallow fly into right that fell in front of a hard charging Max Murphy for an RBI single giving the RedHawks a 1-0 lead.

The RedHawks broke it open in the sixth. With one out and one on Devan Ahart singled to right putting runners at first and second. Yhoxian Medina made it 2-0 with an RBI double to left. Nunn was replaced by Mike Devine who got Fox to pop out to third. Colwell followed with a two-run single to left making it 4-0. Nunn went 5.1 innings allowing four runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out four.

The RedHawks tacked on solo runs in the eighth, on an RBI fielder's choice by Keury De La Cruz, and ninth on a De La Cruz RBI single.

The Saints on the other hand managed just four singles and didn't have a runner reach third. Max Murphy started the game with a single to center extending his hitting streak to a Saints season long 15 games. He would advance to second on a ground out, but Burt Reynolds and Brady Shoemaker struck out to end the inning.

Zach Walters led off the second with a single to center, but Dante Bichette Jr. grounded into a double play. That began a string of 12 in a row retired by Kessay. The next hit he allowed was a one out bunt single to Anthony Phillips in the sixth, but Murphy flew out and Kyle Barrett grounded out. Kessay went 6.0 shutout innings allowing three hits while striking out seven.

The only inning in which the Saints put two runners on came in the eighth when Nathaniel Maggio led off with a single to center and Justin O'Conner followed by being hit by a pitch. Phillips would strike out and Murphy grounded into an inning ending double play.

The same two teams meet in game three of the four game series on Wednesday night at 7:02 p.m. The Saints send RHP Trevor Foss (1-2, 2.86) to the mound against RedHawks RHP Brandon Barker (2-2, 4.18). The game can be heard on Alt 93.3 FM.

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