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IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Feel the Need for Speed, Swipe Triple-A Season High

August 27, 2022 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


DES MOINES, IA - The game plan was simple for the St. Paul Saints on Saturday night. Run. The run some more. And then keep running. They swiped a franchise record, and Triple-A season high nine stolen bases, and Michael Helman stole a Triple-A season high four bags, as they snapped their four-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the Iowa Cubs at Principal Park.

The Saints got on the board first in the first as Helman led off with a single to center. He stole second and Matt Wallner drew a walk. Helman then swiped third to put runners at the corners. As the Saints attempted a double steal, pitcher Adbert Alzolay was called for a balk for not coming set that allowed Helman to score giving the Saints a 1-0 lead.

Simeone Woods Richardson got his second Triple-A start and was very sharp early on. The lone base runner to reach through the first three innings was the second batter in the first, David Bote, who reached on an infield single to third. After that, Woods Richardson retired the next 10 batters he faced.

The I-Cubs finally got to Woods Richardson when they tied it in the fourth courtesy of a solo homer from John Hicks, his 16th of the season, making it 1-1.

In the fifth, the Saints grabbed the lead back. With one out, Helman and Wallner drew walks. They pulled off a double steal and the throw down to second was dropped by the second baseman Esteban Quiroz allowing Helman to score giving the Saints a 2-1 lead. Helman finished the night 2-4 with two runs scored, and a franchise record four stolen bases. The four steals were the most in Triple-A since Brian Miller of Jacksonville swiped four on May 13, 2021 @ Durham. Mark Contreras followed with a two-run homer to left, his 13th of the season, improving the lead to 4-1.

The Saints continued their running game in the sixth when John Andreoli led off with a walk. He stole second and scored on a single by David Bañuelos putting the Saints up 5-1.

In the bottom of the inning, Woods Richardson ran into his first bout of trouble on the night. He gave up a leadoff single to Luis Vazquez. Darius Hill followed with a single and Vazquez took third. An RBI fielder's choice scored Vazquez making it 5-2. Woods Richardson then fanned Matt Mervis, but walked Hicks to end his night. Michael Feliz came out of the bullpen and walked Alexander Canario to load the bases, but Jackson Frazier struck out to end the inning. Woods Richardson went 5.2 innings allowing two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out eight. He threw 78 pitches, 55 for strikes.

The teams traded runs in the eighth as the Saints stole their eighth bag of the night. Andreoli reached second on a dropped pop up by the second baseman Quiroz. Andreoli swiped third and scored on an infield single by Andrew Bechtold making it 6-2.

In the bottom of the inning back-to-back doubles by Bote and Matt Mervis cut the Saints lead to 6-3.

Contreras stole the final bag of the night when he stole second with two outs in the ninth. Overall, the Saints were 9-10 in stealing bases as Helman swiped four, Contreras and Andreoli stole two apiece, and Wallner grabbed a bag. Jermaine Palacios was the only runner to get thrown out trying to steal second in the fifth. The Saints previous franchise high was four.

The nine stolen bases by the Saints were the most in Triple-A since 2011 when the Fresno Grizzlies swiped 10 and the most in the International League since 2009 when the Columbus Clippers also swiped nine.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the six-game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:08 p.m. The Saints send RHP Dereck Rodríguez (6-4, 4.15) to the mound against I-Cubs RHP Caleb Kilian (5-2, 3.80). The game can be seen on MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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