AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Drop Great Pitchers Duel 2-0

Published on August 26, 2011 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - If the St. Paul Saints continue to get starting pitching like they have over the last week they will earn a playoff berth, but on Friday night in their regular season home finale Saint starter Jake Schmidt was outdueled by Sioux City Explorers ace Nick Schumacher 2-0 at Midway Stadium in front of 6,515. With the Gary SouthShore Railcats and Wichita Wingnuts currently leading their games (go to americanassociationbaseball.com to see the final) the Saints would be in a three-way tie for the wild card, with four games left, with those two teams if the scores held up. One of those two teams will win the Central Division.

Both pitchers matched each other pitch for pitch, but early it was the Saints who had the best opportunity. Adam Frost led off the bottom of the first with a double to the gap in right-center. He moved to third on a ground out by Shane Costa and with Frost at third and one out two of their big bats came to the plate. Ryan Patterson, however, popped out to short and Ole Sheldon bounced out to second.

Schmidt, on the other hand, gave up a lead off single in the second to TJ Bohn, but got Ray Serrano to hit into a double play. That would be the only hit he would allow until the seventh and he retired 14 hitters in a row.

Schumacher was equally impressive after the first retiring 12 in a row until the only other hit the Saints would collect, a lead off single by Jason Cooper. After that Schumacher retired 10 in a row until a one out walk to Richard Mercado in the eighth, the last base runner the Saints would get.

In the top of the seventh Schmidt gave up a lead off double to Ryan Priddy, but he got Wally Backman Jr. to pop out, Bohn to fly out and Serrano to ground out to get out of the inning unscathed.

In the eighth, however, Brett Flowers led off with a double and was sacrificed to third by Mike Murphy. Derek Schermerhorn flew out to shallow center and Flowers had to hold at third. The first pitch Schmidt delivered to Brian Bistagne was hit inside the third base line for a double, scoring Flowers to give the Explorers the only run they would need. Schmidt went 8.0 innings allowing one run on four hits while walking one and striking out five.

The Explorers got an insurance run in the ninth when Priddy reached on an error by Jake Krause, went to second on a single from Bohn and scored on a single from Serrano.

Schmuacher did the rest throwing a complete game, two-hit shutout walking one and striking out three. It was the second time this season Schmuacher threw a complete game two-hitter against the Saints, also doing it on July 22 at Midway Stadium in a 10-2 Saints loss.

The Saints now head to U.S. Steel Yard to take on the Gary SouthShore Railcats in a four game series that will decide which team makes the playoffs. The first game of the series is Saturday evening at 6:10 p.m. and the Saints are TBA while the Railcats go with LHP Jeremy Hauer (2-1, 3.65). The game can be heard live on Relevant Radio 1330.

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American Association Stories from August 26, 2011


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