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IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Drop Franchise-Tying Sixth Straight Road Game, 11-7 to Clippers

May 13, 2022 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


COLUMBUS, OH - The St. Paul Saints can't get home fast enough because the first half of their 12-game road trip isn't going as planned. They allowed 10 runs with two outs on Friday night at Huntington Park and lost 11-7 to the Columbus Clippers. The loss is their fifth consecutive and franchise tying sixth consecutive road loss. The Saints are now 15-17 on the season.

Jordan Balazovic made his second start for the Saints and the Clippers jumped on him in the first. Will Benson hit a solo homer to lead off the inning, his fourth of the season, making it 1-0. It was the only run scored with less than two outs. With one out, Tyler Freeman singled to right and Oscar Gonzalez followed with a single to left. With two outs David Fry knocked them both in with a double to left, increasing the lead to 3-0.

The Clippers continued the early onslaught in the second. With one out Benson bunted for a base hit. With two outs, Freeman reached on a fielding error by Balazovic. Gonzalez followed with a three-run homer to left-center, his ninth of the season, giving the Clippers a 6-0 lead. A walk to Trenton Brooks and a single from Fry put runners at first and second. Mitch Tollman then doubled off the wall in left that scored Brooks, but Fry was cut down at the plate to end the inning as the Clippers led 7-0. Balazovic went 2.0 innings allowing a career tying high seven runs (three earned) on eight hits while walking one and striking out one.

The Saints would storm back in the third as three walks loaded the bases. Jake Cave roped a bases clearing triple to the left-center field gap cutting the deficit to 7-3. Kyle Garlick made it 7-5 with a two-run homer, his second of the season with the Saints. Garlick went 1-5 in his rehab with the two run homer. Curtis Terry and Caleb Hamilton followed with back-to-back singles. With two outs, Cole Sturgeon knotted it at seven with a two-run double to left.

Mario Sanchez took over for Balazovic and restored order. In 4.2 innings he allowed just two hits, but the two out runs reared their ugly head with two outs in the seventh. With the game still tied and two outs in the seventh Fry singled to center. Tollman followed with a two-run homer to right, his fourth of the season, giving the Clippers a 9-7 lead. Sanchez went 4.2 innings allowing two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out one.

The Clippers added two insurance runs in the eighth...with two outs. With one out Juan Minaya hit back-to-back hitters. With two outs Brooks singled them both home giving the Clippers a four-run cushion.

Elliot Soto's 12-game hitting streak came to an end as he went 0-5. Saints hitters struck out a season high 16 times.

The same two teams meet in game five of the six-game series on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. (CT). The Saints are TBA and the Clippers send LHP Konnor Pilkington (0-0, 9.53). The game can be seen on MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from May 13, 2022


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