AA St. Paul Saints

Saints All Even in Wild Card with Two to Play After 7-4 Win

Published on August 28, 2011 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


GARY, IN (August 28, 2011) - With contributions up and down the line up and solid pitching the St .Paul Saints are tied for the wild card with two games left after a 7-4 victory over the Gary SouthShore Railcats on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Steel Yard.

It truly was a team effort with power hitters laying down sacrifice bunts, the Saints stealing bases and being aggressive and getting contributions from the bottom of their order while at the same time getting a solid start from a guy making just his second start since last June.

With the Saints down 1-0 in the fourth Ole Sheldon singled to center and with two outs Ronnie Bourquin crushed a two-run homer to right, his 12th of the season, to give the Saints a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the inning the Railcats tied it when Toddrick Johnson tripled home Mike Rhode from first.

The Saints took the lead for good in the fifth when Jake Krause walked, Steve Mays sacrificed him to second and Adam Frost tripled him home to give the Saints a 3-2 lead.

Saints starter Todd Mathison pitched superbly going 5.0 innings allowing two runs on five hits while walking two and striking out two earning his first win since May 29, 2010.

The Saints offense made sure the lead extended making it 4-2 in the sixth when Ryan Patterson singled and stole second. After a walk to Sheldon, Jason Cooper bunted the runners up. Bourquin was intentionally walked to load the bases and Richard Mercado's single scored Patterson giving the Saints a two run lead.

The Saints put the game away in the seventh sending eight men to the plate while scoring three runs. Mays led off with a single to center and Frost sacrificed him to second. Aharon Eggleston doubled him home to make it 5-2. Patterson single brought home Eggleston to make it 6-2 and Sheldon's triple to right-center scored Patterson to make it 7-2. Sheldon finished the day 4-4, a homer shy of the cycle with an RBI and a run scored.

Saints reliever Jesse English pitched two hitless innings of relief striking out four. Kyle Foster pitched out of a bases loaded, two out jam in the eighth before surrendering a two-run homer to Adam Klein in the ninth. Tyler Walker got the final two outs of the game to secure the victory.

The same two teams meet in the third game of the four game series, with the winner getting a leg up in the opportunity to get into the playoffs, on Monday evening at 7:10 p.m. The Saint send RHP Alberto Rolon (9-4, 4.33) to the mound against Railcats LHP Trent Lare (4-5, 5.84). The game can be heard live on Relevant Radio 1330.

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