AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Baffled by Herron

Published on July 6, 2017 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


FARGO, ND - The St. Paul Saints offense ran into one of the better pitchers in the American Association and Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks starter Tyler Herron held them at bay all night long. The Saints managed just five hits and lost 6-1. The loss drops the Saints to 28-18 and their lead in the North Division dropped to 4.0 games.

Last season Herron, the former first round supplemental pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008, dominated the American Association going 5-1 with a 0.80 ERA in seven starts with the ReddHawks before having his contract purchased by the New York Mets organization. He's been just as dominant this year since being released by a team in Mexcio. He didn't give up his first hit until the third, a one out double by Jon Kristoffersen.

The only noise the Saints made against Herron came in the fourth when Nate Hanson and Brady Shoemaker had back-to-back doubles, the latter scoring a run, to lead off the inning. Herron would retire the next three hitters and the Saints would not have another runner as far as second all night long. They managed two singles after that, both by former RedHawk Mitch Delfino, who was playing his first game for his new club on Thursday night. Herron went 8.0 innings allowing one run on five hits while walking two and striking out seven.

The RedHawks got on the board in the third as their defense once again escaped them. Trever Adams led off with an infield single to second. Charlie Valerio then hit a hard grounder to second that Tony Thomas fielded. He shoveled a throw to the shortstop Kristoffersen covering second, but he dropped the ball putting runners at first and second. Yhoxian Medina then hit a liner off the glove of pitcher Ryan Zimmerman that ricocheted to Thomas. He stepped on second for the out, but his throw to first to get the double play bounced in the dirt and skipped by Delfino allowing Adams to score giving the RedHawks a 1-0 lead. With Media at third and two outs Zimmerman balked when he dropped the ball while on the pitching rubber allowing Medina to score and making it 2-0.

In the third the RedHawks tacked on three more with one swing of the bat. With one out Zimmerman hit Josh Mazzola on an 0-2 pitch. Zimmerman followed that by walking KD Kang which brought up the former Saint, Adams. He drilled a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall for a three-run homer, his ninth of the season, to make it 5-0.

The RedHawks scored their final run in the sixth when Valerio doubled and, with two outs, Chris Grayson doubled him home. Zimmerman went 6.0 innings allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits while walking three and striking out a season tying high eight.

The same two teams meet in game two of the three game series on Friday night at Newman Outdoor Field at 7:02 p.m. The Saints send RHP John Straka (3-4, 5.54) to the mound against RedHawks LHP Will Solomon (3-1, 2.91). The game can be heard on Club 1220 KLBB.

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American Association Stories from July 6, 2017


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