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IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Come Back From Four Down, Win On Walk-Off In Eighth, 7-6 In Game Two Of Doubleheader

June 8, 2023 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - Game two of the doubleheader started off eerily similar to game one. The St. Paul Saints gave up runs in each of the first four innings. The difference, however, was they limited the damage and the offense stormed back from a 6-2 deficit to tie the game. A walk-off fielder's choice in the eighth inning sent the Saints to a 7-6 victory at CHS Field over the Iowa Cubs in front of 7,073. The win improves the Saints to 35-24 on the season.

With the game tied at six in the top of the eighth and the placed runner at second for the I-Cubs, Bryce Windham sacrificed the runner to third. Oliver Ortega, however, got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

That set up the dramatics in the bottom of the inning for the Saints. With the placed runner Alex De Goti at second, Tony Wolters dropped a bunt single to the left side putting runners at the corners. Wolters finished the night 3-4 with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored. With the infield in, Elliot Soto hit a broken bat grounder to short. Sergio Alcántara came home, but De Goti slid around the tag to score the winning run.

For the third consecutive game in the series, the I-Cubs got on the board in the first. Yonathan Perlaza led off with a single to left, Darius Hill walked, and Jared Young's RBI single made it 1-0.

Jake Washer led off the second inning for the I-Cubs with a triple off the wall in left. He came into score on a groundout by Windham giving the I-Cubs a 2-0 lead.

The Saints got a run back in the bottom of the inning with Chris Williams starting it off with a one out walk. Mark Contreras singled to center moving Williams to second. With two outs, Wolters lined an RBI single into left-center cutting the deficit to 2-1.

The I-Cubs continued to build the picket fence getting a single run in their third straight inning in the third. Nelson Velazquez accounted for the run with a solo homer to left-center, his eighth of the season, increasing the lead to 3-1.

Three walks in the bottom of the third helped the Saints get within a run. Andrew Stevenson led off the inning with a double to left-center. With one out, Matt Wallner and Edouard Julien drew back-to-back walks loading the bases. With two outs, Mark Contreras walked forcing in Stevenson to make it 3-2.

Just like in game one of the doubleheader, the I-Cubs scored in the first four innings of the game as they put up three in the fourth. Windham led off the inning with a walk. With one outs, Hill doubled, and Young walked to load the bases. After a pitching change, Velazquez' infield single scored Windham making it 4-2. David Bote followed with a two-run double to right-center increasing the lead to 6-2.

The Saints sent eight men to the plate in the bottom of the fourth and tied the game. Tony Wolters led off with a solo homer to right-center, his second of the season and the 14th consecutive game the Saints have homered, the longest current streak in Minor League Baseball, making it 6-3. Soto and Stevenson followed with back-to-back singles putting runners at the corners. With Stevenson running, a pitch in the dirt scored Soto and Stevenson took third getting the Saints to within 6-4. Jose Miranda made it 6-5 with an RBI double off the wall in right. A wild pitch moved Miranda to third and he scored on a sacrifice fly from Edouard Julien tying the game at six.

The same two teams meet in game five of a seven-game series on Friday night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send LHP Brent Headrick (3-1, 4.54) to the mound against I-Cubs RHP Caleb Kilian (3-1, 4.57). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, the Bally Live app (free), and MiLB.TV (subscription), and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from June 8, 2023


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