AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Complete Sweep with 8-5 Victory over Explorers

Published on May 21, 2014 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


SIOUX CITY, IA (May 21, 2014) - The sign of a good team is when they can win even if they aren't at their best. That was the case for the St. Paul Saints on Wednesday night as some sloppy defense early on wasn't enough to cost them as they came from behind to defeat the Sioux City Explorers 8-5 at Lewis and Clark Park.

With the Saints leading 2-1 in the third Michael Lang led off with a walk for the Explorers. Rene Tosoni hit a grounder to second baseman Devin Thaut who tried to force Lang at second, but Lang was ruled safe on a close play. Andres Perez then hit a grounder to Thaut again, but shortstop Joey Becker didn't cover second and Thaut was forced to get the out at first. With one out and runners at second and third, Mark Sobelewski hit a grounder to Henry Wrigley at first who elected to try and get the out at home, but his throw was on the first base side and Lang scored to tie the game at two. Tom Mondonca added an RBI single and Luke Murton produced two runs with a double to give the Explorers a 5-2 lead.

The Saints took advantage of shaky pitching by Explorers starter Geoff Broussard in the fourth. Broussard walked three in a row to load the bases with one out. Evan Bigley's grounder to third was mishandled by Sobelewski allowing a run to score and make it 5-3. Joe Bonfe's RBI groundout made it 5-4.

The big moment in the game came in the fifth when the Explorers loaded the bases with nobody out. Murton then hit a shallow fly ball to left which Bigley made a running catch around his shoe tops and fired to the plate to get Perez. Robert Coe would get Peter Barrows to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning with nobody scoring.

It stayed that way until the sixth when Carlos Escobar led off with a single and with two outs Bonfe deposited one over the left field wall to give the Saints a 6-5 lead.

The Saints bullpen did the rest as the Dylan Thomas, celebrating his 23rd birthday, recorded two scoreless innings, Jon Plefka tossed a shutout inning in the eighth and Dan Sattler closed it out to earn his second save of the season.

The Saints head home for a four game series against the Sioux Falls Canaries beginning Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Nick Barnese (1-0, 0.00) to the mound against Canaries RHP John Brebbia (1-0, 0.00). It is Tinder Loving Care Night at the ballpark. The game can be heard on Club 1220 KLBB and in the ballpark on 87.9 FM.

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