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IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Explode for Seven in 10th, Take Down Bats 8-3

June 16, 2023 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


LOUISVILLE, KY - For nine innings the Saints offense, which was hitting .348 in the first three games of the series, had been held at bay with just one run on four hits. Their pitching staff kept them in the game and sent the game to extras where the bats came alive scoring seven runs on six hits as they took care of the Louisville Bats 8-3 in 10 innings. The win improved the Saints to 39-27 on the season and 5-1 in extra innings.

The game nearly didn't get to extras as the Bats had a golden opportunity to win it in the ninth. Michael Siani led off the inning by reaching on a fielding error by first baseman Chris Williams. With one out, Alejo Lopez singled to left-center sending Siani to third as Lopez took second on the throw. Patrick Murphy would get a big strikeout of Major League rehabber Wil Myers. After intentionally walking Major League rehabber Joey Votto, Murphy got Christian Encarnacion-Strand to foul out to catcher Jair Camargo ending the inning. Murphy pitched 2.0 scoreless innings allowing two hits while walking one and striking out three. He has allowed just one run in his last 21.2 innings pitched.

That huge momentum shift catapulted the Saints in the 10th. With Elliot Soto the placed runner at second Andrew Stevenson hit a line drive off the leg of pitcher Eduardo Salazar that ricocheted to the second baseman Matt Reynolds who threw out Stevenson as Soto took third. After that, eight consecutive Saints hitters reached base safely. Pinch hitter Mark Contreras ripped a triple down the first base line scoring Soto giving the Saints a 2-1 lead. Trevor Larnach made it 3-1 with an RBI single into right field. Jose Miranda doubled Larnach to third and Matt Wallner was intentionally walked to load the bases. Williams had his first non-home run hit of the series, a two-run bloop single into left, increasing the lead to 5-1. After a pitching change, Jair Camargo walked to load the bases. Anthony Prato singled up the middle scoring a pair making it 7-1. Soto finished the scoring with an RBI single to left giving the Saints an 8-1 lead.

The Bats would grab two in the bottom of the 10th on a two-run homer from Reynolds, his 11th of the season, but Alex Scherff, making his Triple-A debut struck out all three outs.

In his fourth Major League rehab appearance, Kenta Maeda retired the side in order in the first, including getting ground outs of Wil Myers and Joey Votto.

Maeda cruised through the second and third allowing just a leadoff walk in the second before retiring eight in a row.

The game was scoreless until the fourth when Matt Wallner hit a solo home run to left, his eighth of the season, making it 1-0. The home run was the 21st consecutive game the Saints have homered, tied for the second longest streak in Minor League Baseball only behind the 24 in a row by the Binghamton Mets.

Maeda allowed his first hit in the fourth. With two outs in the fourth he walked Nick Martini for the second time and that was followed by the first hit of the game by the Bats, a single to left-center from Reynolds that put runners at the corners. Maeda got out of the inning by getting Jason Vosler to fly out to left.

The Bats tied the game in the fifth. Maeda gave up a leadoff single to Siani before walking back-to-back hitters to load the bases. Before departing, Maeda fanned Wil Myers to finish off his night. Kody Funderburk came out of the bullpen and hit Joey Votto with the bases loaded to force in a run and tie the game at one. Funderburk would come back and strikeout Encarnacion-Strand and got Martini to hit into a fielder's choice ending the inning. Maeda's went 4.1 innings allowing one run on two hits while walking four and striking out four. He threw 81 pitches, 46 for strikes. He threw 27 fastballs, 19 of them for strikes and averaged 89.9 miles per hour topping out at 91.5 mph.

The Saints bullpen was once again stellar as Kody Funderburk, Austin Brice, Murphy, and Scherff allowed one earned run on three hits over the final 5.2 innings while striking out nine.

The same two teams meet in game five of a six-game series on Saturday night at 6:15 p.m. (CT) at Louisville Slugger Field. The Saints send RHP Blayne Enlow (NR) to the mound against Bats RHP Michael Mariot (1-0, 3.60). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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