AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Clinch with Win

Published on August 24, 2007 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


Sioux Falls, SD - The St. Paul Saints (28-19) clinched the Second Half North Division Championship with a 9-8 win over the Sioux Falls Canaries (22-25) on Friday night at the Birdcage.

The Saints came swinging out of the gate, loading the bases on a walk, a single, and an error. Derrick White doubled to deep centerfield to score Scooter Jordan, Demetrius Heath, and Adam Bourassa for a 3-0 lead. The throw home bounced away from Canaries catcher Jake Smith, and the error allowed White to third. White scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Marcel Longmire. At the end of the first half inning, the Saints led 4-0.

St. Paul put two more runs on the board in the top of the second inning. Ben Thomas earned a lead off walk, putting a runner on base for Kevin Sullivan. Sullivan hit his first home run with the Saints top put St. Paul up 6-0.

The Canaries battled back with five runs in the bottom of the third. Jake Smith got the hitting going with a double to right center and scored on a double by Cameron Coughlan. After Casey Gordon walked to fill first base, Orlando Miller singled through the left side, to drive in Coughlan from second and pull the Canaries within four, 6-2. With two outs in the inning, Tim Marks plated three Canaries runs with his third homer of the season. After three inning the Canaries were within one, 6-5.

Heath doubled to lead off the top of the fifth inning for the Saints and advanced to third on a groundout by Bourassa. Heath crossed home on a wild pitch, increasing the Saints lead to two, 7-5. Marcel Longmire singled and worked his way around the bases. The second wild pitch of the inning allowed Longmire to score, giving the Saints an 8-5 advantage.

The Saints scored again in the top of the seventh. With two outs in the inning, White walked, advanced to second on a single by Longmire and came home on a singled by Fernando Valenzuela, Jr. At the seventh inning stretch, the Saints led 9-5.

The Canaries rallied for two runs in the home half of the seventh. Coughlan tripled down the left field line and Gordon drew his second walk of the game, placing runners on the corners. Coughlan crossed home on a groundout by Scott Lydy. After Juan Figueroa singled through the right side Gordon scored to bring the Birds within a pair, 9-7.

In the eighth inning, the Birds strung together three consecutive singles by Matt Imwalle, James Shanks, and Damon Lessler. Imwalle scored on Lessler's single through the left side to bring the Birds within one, 9-8. The Canaries left two runners on base in each the eighth and ninth innings, and failed to prevent the Saints from clinching the Second Half North Division Championship.

Dustin Bolton (3-9) won his first game against the Canaries this season. In his first start of the year, Sean Donlin (2-3) suffered the loss for the Birds. Tony Pierce earned his 12th save of the season.

The Canaries play their final game of the 2007 season on Saturday night at the Birdcage. 1,000 random fans will receive a Tom Brokaw bobblehead courtesy of Billion Toyota.

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American Association Stories from August 24, 2007


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