AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Can't Find Winning Formula, Drop Game 2 of NDCS 4-3, One Game from Elimination

Published on September 5, 2019 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


FARGO, ND - The St. Paul Saints spent all season grinding out wins and earning the best record in the American Association which gave them home field advantage in the playoffs. They are going to need that home field advantage because it's going to take three straight wins at CHS Field just to advance to the American Association Championship Series. After winning the final six games of the regular season over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, the RedHawks have turned the tables on the Saints, winning the first two games of the North Division Championship Series as they took Game 2, 4-3 on Thursday night at Newman Outdoor Field.

For the second consecutive game the Saints struck first in the first. Dan Motl led off with a single to center and, with one out, Brady Shoemaker was hit by a pitch. The RedHawks then made a costly mistake when John Silviano hit a grounder to first, but Correlle Prime's throw to second pulled Leo Pina off the bag and the Saints had the bases loaded with one out. Jeremy Martinez came through with an RBI single to left giving the Saints a 1-0 lead. The Saints would get no more, however, as Josh Allen grounded into an inning ending double play.

Just like in Game 1, the RedHawks answered in the bottom of the inning. With one out Tim Colwell singled to right-center. He moved to third on a single by Devan Ahart. The Saints then got a huge break when Saints pitcher Landon Beck threw a pitch in the dirt, but catcher Jeremy Martinez blocked the ball, kept it in front of him and threw out Ahart trying to take second. The good feelings ended a couple of pitches later when Chris Jacobs blasted a two-run homer to right, his first of the playoffs, putting the RedHawks up 2-1. The RedHawks went back-to-back as Correlle Prime took the first pitch he saw over the right-center field wall, his first of the playoffs, making it 3-1.

The RedHawks increased their lead in the fourth when Prime led off the inning with a single to center. He would steal second and, with two outs, two wild pitches later Prime scored making it 4-1.

The Saints didn't have a runner in scoring position from the second through the fifth, but in the sixth John Silviano drilled a leadoff double off the wall in left-center field. With one out Allen knocked him home with a double of his own into the gap in right-center cutting the deficit to two at 4-2.

In the seventh, the Saints got another leadoff double as Blake Schmit sent one down the left field line. Unfortunately, with the top three guys in the order up they couldn't score as Motl grounded out to third, Michael Lang popped out to second and Shoemaker struck out looking.

In the eighth with two outs, Allen came through with a solo blast off of reliever Brent Jones to cut the deficit down to one.

The Saints would get no closer, however, as the last four men were retired with Relief Pitcher of the Year, Geoff Broussard, earning his second save of the season as he retired the side in order in the ninth.

After an off day on Friday, the venue shifts to CHS Field for Game 3 of the North Division Championship Series on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Eddie Medina (10-3, 3.45) to the mound against RedHawks LHP Tyler Pike (8-3, 3.20).

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American Association Stories from September 5, 2019


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