AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Come Back from the Dead, Erase Five-Run Deficit to Win 8-6 over Goldeyes

Published on June 28, 2018 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


WINNIPEG, MB - Just four days ago the St. Paul Saints completed a four-game series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes in which they gave up 34 runs. It looked like they were on their way down that same road when they gave up five runs in the first, but the Saints stormed back, turned five double plays, got two home runs and five RBI from their newest member, Burt Reynolds, and 4.0 shutout innings of relief from Beck Wheeler and Mike Devine to win 8-6 on Thursday night at Shaw Park. The win snapped a three-game losing streak and improved the Saints to 21-18 on the season.

The Saints, who took two leads into the seventh inning in their last series against the Goldeyes, only to lose both, repaid the favor on Thursday night. With the Saints trailing 5-0 in the second Reynolds hit his first homer of the night, a solo shot to left, his first with the Saints and fifth of the season, to make it 5-1.

In the fourth Richard Prigatano walked and Max Murphy singled to right. Reynolds then delivered again with a three-run homer to left, his second of the night, second as a Saint, and sixth of the season, making it 5-4.

The Goldeyes added a run in the fourth when Kevin Garcia led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, Dave Sappelt singled him home to make it 6-4.

The Saints would get a run in the sixth on another Reynolds RBI when Murphy tripled to right and Reynolds' groundout scored him to make it 6-5. Reynolds finished the night 2-5 with two home runs, the seventh time in his career he's done that, five RBI and two runs scored.

This time it was the Goldeyes taking the lead into the seventh and the Saints responded in the inning to tie it. The Goldeyes committed four errors on four balls in plays. Luke Pettersen reached on a throwing error by second baseman Matt McCann to lead off the inning. Then, the catcher Garcia tried to backpick Pettersen and would have gotten him, but the throw went into right field allowing Pettersen to go to second. JJ Gould then laid down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by the pitcher Jack Charleston. He threw it wild to third allowing Pettersen to slide in safely for the third error. After a strikeout of Kes Carter, Prigatano hit a ground ball in the hole at short that was fielded by Andrew Sohn. His throw to first was late, allowing Pettersen to score the tying run, but also went over the head of first baseman Eric Aguilera allowing Gould to take third on the error. With runners at the corners and one out Murphy grounded into an inning ending double play, one of three for the Saints on the night.

In the ninth the Saints would plate two off of Goldeyes closer Victor Capellan. With one out Gould walked. Carter roped a single to right moving Gould to third. On a 1-0 pitch to Prigatano, Carter went to steal second, Garcia threw down, Gould started to break for home and the shortstop Sohn fired the ball home. Gould would get tagged retreating to third for the second out of the inning. Prigatano would eventually be intentionally walked and Murphy atoned for the double play in his previous at bat with an RBI single to right scoring Carter making it 7-6. Murphy went 3-5 with a triple, RBI and two runs scored. Prigatano would then score on a passed ball.

Wheeler, who took over in the sixth inning, tossed 2.0 shutout innings allowing two hits and striking out two. Devine earned the victory by tossing 2.0 shutout innings allowing two hits and striking out one.

The Saints five double plays turned were one shy of the franchise record of six set on July 2, 2000 at Sioux Falls. They turned double plays in the first, second, fifth, sixth and to end the game in the ninth with runners at first and second and one out when Josh Romanski, who was 16-28 this season, hit a ground ball up the middle that Pettersen backhanded, flipped to Gould, who fired to first ahead of the headfirst slide of Romanski.

The same two teams meet in game two of the four game series on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. The Saints send RHP Ryan Zimmerman (1-0, 3.10) to the mound and the Goldeyes are TBA. The game can be heard on Alt 93.3 FM.

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American Association Stories from June 28, 2018


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