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IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Fan 15 Indianapolis Hitters, But Three-Game Win Streak Snapped in 7-4 Loss

May 29, 2022 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - One after another St. Paul Saints pitchers mowed down Indianapolis Indians hitters. Saints starter Ronny Henriquez even tied a franchise record for most consecutive strikeouts. It wasn't enough, however, to overcome a four-run fifth inning as they Saints saw their three-game winning streak come to an end in a 7-4 loss to the Indians at CHS Field on Saturday night in front of 7,056.

The Indians came out swinging as the first three batters reached on base hits. Canaan Smith-Njigba led off the game with a single to right-center. Travis Swaggerty then tripled him home making it 1-0. Ji-Hwan Bae followed with an RBI single down the third base line increasing the lead to 2-0.

Henriquez settled down after the first. He retired the side in order in the second and third, fanning the last batter of the second and the side in the third.

The top of the Saints order did the damage in the third to take the lead. Royce Lewis led off with a single to right. He stole second, which tied the franchise record for steals in a season with 12. Alex Kirilloff lined a single into center scoring Lewis that cut the Saints deficit in half at 2-1. Spencer Steer then drilled a two-run homer to left, his second of the season, giving the Saints a 3-2 lead.

Henriqeuz came out in the fourth and struck out the first two batters he faced giving him six consecutive strikeouts tying a franchise record that was set by Joe Ryan on August 20, 2021 vs. Iowa Cubs.

The Indians got to Henriquez in the fifth as Hoy Park led off with a double to left-center. Carter Bins tied it with a single to center as he took second on the throw home. With two outs, Bae deposited one over the right field wall, his fifth of the season, giving the Indians a 5-3 lead. Henriquez' night was done as he went 4.2 innings allowing five runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out eight. Wladimir Pinto took over and he walked the first batter he faced, Mason Martin. Martin advanced to second on a passed ball, and scored on a double increasing the lead to 6-3.

The Saints got a run back in the sixth as Jake Cave extended his hit streak to 10-games with a solo homer to left-center, his third of the season, cutting the deficit to two at 6-4.

In the eighth, the Indians added an insurance run when Cole Tucker singled with one out. He stole second and scored on a double by Bins giving the Indians their three-run lead back at 7-4.

Unlike Friday night when the Saints scored five runs over the final three innings to win it, the offense was quiet over the final three innings on Saturday, managing just one hit.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the seven-game series on Sunday evening at 5:05 p.m. at CHS Field. The Saints send RHP Cole Sands (0-4, 7.23) to the mound and the Indians are TBA. The game can be seen on 45TV and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from May 29, 2022


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