IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Capitalize on Sloppy Sounds' Miscues in 6-5 Victory

Published on April 5, 2024 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


NASHVILLE, TN - They won't be hanging Friday night's game at First Horizon Park in the Louvre. The Nashville Sounds committed two costly errors, walked seven and the Saints scored four runs off those walks. The Saints committed their first error of the season that led to a run and unleashed three wild pitches in one at bat that led also led a run. It was the Saints, however, who cashed in on a few more miscues to take a 6-5 victory. The win improves the Saints to 4-2 on the season.

The Sounds struck first in the first when Chris Roller led off the inning with a double down the third base line and scored on a single to right by Joey Wiemer making it 1-0.

The Saints knotted the game at one in the third when Anthony Prato walked with one out and scored when Chris Williams doubled off the base of the wall in left-center field.

In the fifth the Saints grabbed the lead that they wouldn't relinquish and they were helped out by the Sounds defense. With one out Williams reached on a fielding error by third baseman Tyler Black. That proved costly because DaShawn Keirsey Jr. walked and, with two outs, Patrick Winkel roped a two-run double down the first base line giving the Saints a 3-1 lead.

The Saints, who had not committed an error through the first five games, finally made one in the bottom of the fifth and it led to a run for the Sounds. With one out Wiemer walked, took second on a wild pitch and, with two outs, Brewer Hicklen's ground ball went between the legs of third baseman Yunior Severino for an error that allowed Wiemer to score cutting the Saints lead to 3-2.

In the sixth, the Saints used the wildness of reliever Carlos Rodriguez to plate a couple of runs. The first three batters walked to load the bases. Prato gave the Saints a 4-2 lead with an RBI fielder's choice. With two outs Keirsey Jr. dropped a fly ball single into left that scored Severino increasing the Saints lead to 5-2.

The Saints handed a run back to the Sounds in the bottom of the inning when Owen Miller singled and Michaely Boyle tied a franchise record, held by two others, by uncorking three wild pitches that allowed Miller to score cutting the Saints lead to 5-3. Boyle became the first pitcher to throw three wild pitches in the course of one at bat.

As was the case all night, however, the Saints were gifted the run back. Winkel led off the seventh with a single to right center. With two outs, and Winkel at second, Severino popped one up to the left side that was dropped by third baseman Tyler Black allowing Winkel to score giving the Saints a 6-3 lead. Winkel finished the night 3-5 with a double and two RBI.

For the third consecutive inning, the Saints couldn't put up a zero after scoring a run of their own. Wiemer led off the inning with a walk. With one out, Boyle departed for Jordan Balazovic. He struck out Hicklen, but then Eric Haase knocked home Wiemer with a double making it a two-run game, 6-4. The next hitter, Francisco Mejia made it 6-5 with an RBI single to left.

Things looked like they would get dicey in the bottom of the ninth when Wiemer led off with a double off Hobie Harris. That would be all Harris allowed as he got Black to fly out, Hicklen on strikes, and Haase to fly out as he earned his first save of the season.

The same two teams meet in game five of the six-game series on Saturday night at 6:35 p.m. at First Horizon Park. The Saints send LHP Brent Headrick (0-0, 4.91) to the mound against Sounds RHP Carlos Rodriguez (0-1, 9.00). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from April 5, 2024


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