AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Bid for Championship Falls Short in 5-3 Loss to T-Bones

Published on September 15, 2018 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


KANSAS CITY, KS - The St. Paul Saints will have to wait another season to end their championship drought that dates back to 2004. Despite carrying a lead into the sixth inning for the second straight night, the Saints bullpen couldn't hold the lead and lost to the Kansas City T-Bones 5-3 on Saturday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The T-Bones won the American Association Championship three-games-to-one.

With the Saints leading 3-1 in the fifth Keith Curcio led off with a double against starter Chris Nunn. Anthony Phillips sacrificed him to third and Danny Hayes' RBI single made it 3-2.

In the sixth Nunn retired the first batter he faced, but Adrian Nieto followed with a single to right. Nunn departed for reliever Mike Devine. The first batter he faced Alay Lago, who hit only two home runs in the regular season, hit a hanging slider over the left field wall, his first of the playoffs, to give the T-Bones a 4-3 lead. Nunn went 5.1 innings allowing three runs on three hits while walking four and striking out two.

The T-Bones added an insurance run in the seventh when Ryan Brett led off with a single to right. Mason Davis sacrificed him to second and Devine retired Todd Cunningham to left. The Saints went to their bullpen for the left-handed reliever Ken Frosch to face the lefty Noah Perio Jr. The former Saint, Perio Jr., won the battle with an RBI double to right scoring Brett.

The T-Bones jumped out to a 1-0 lead without a hit in the fourth. Nunn walked Cunningham to lead off the inning. A groundout moved him to second and a wild pitch sent Cunningham to third. Nieto's sacrifice fly gave the T-Bones a 1-0 lead.

The Saints, however, would strike for three in the fifth. With one out Dan Motl walked and Joey Wong doubled him home tying the game at one. After a walk to Max Murphy put runners at first and second, the T-Bones removed starter Jared Mortensen for reliever Marcus Crescentini. Kyle Barrett made it 2-1 with an RBI single and Brady Shoemaker followed with an RBI single to make it 3-1.

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American Association Stories from September 15, 2018


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