IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Hit Six Homers, Including Two Grand Slams, Crush Storm Chasers 17-3

Published on September 8, 2021 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - It was a career day for catcher David Bañuelos. The rest of the offense followed suit as the St. Paul Saints mashed six home runs, including two grand slams, and pounded out 17 hits as they drilled the Omaha Storm Chasers 17-3 on Wednesday afternoon at CHS Field in front of 4,608.

The Saints started the home run barrage in the third. Trailing 1-0 Sherman Johnson led off the inning with a walk. With two outs Jose Miranda drove him home with a double to left-center tying the game at one. Tomás Telis then crushed a two-run homer to left, his 10th of the season, giving the Saints a 3-1 lead.

With the game tied at three in the bottom of the fourth the Saints used a couple of more long balls to take the lead. Drew Maggi deposited a solo shot over the left field wall, his 15th of the season, making it 4-3 Saints. Maggi went 3-4 with a home run, RBI, and three runs scored. Two batters later, David Bañuelos sent a solo homer over the right field wall, his first of the day and season, increasing the Saints lead to 5-3.

The Saints put the game away in the bottom of the seventh with their first of two, six run innings. With one out Mark Contreras tripled to left-center. Gilberto Celestino followed with a walk and BJ Boyd's high chopper for a double to right scored Contreras making it 6-3. Back-to-back walks forced in a run giving the Saints a 7-3 lead. Bañuelos crushed his second home run of the day, a grand slam over the right-center field wall, putting the Saints up 11-3. It was Bañuelos' first career grand slam and first two home run game of his career.

The Saints tacked on another six runs in the eighth as Boyd singled to right with one out. Maggi reached on an infield single and Johnson walked for the fourth time in the game to load the bases. Bañuelos singled to right scoring Boyd making it 12-3 Saints. Bañuelos finished the day 3-5 with two home runs, a career high six RBI, and three runs scored. That brought up JT Riddle who delivered with a grand slam to right-center, the first grand slam of his career and sixth home run of the season, putting the Saints on top 16-3. The Saints went back-to-back as Miranda crushed a solo homer to left, his 13th of the season, putting the finishing touches on a 17-3 victory. Miranda went 3-6, falling a triple shy of the cycle, with two RBI and two runs scored.

Six different players had a multi-hit game with Telis, Conteras, and Boyd collecting two hits.

Saints starter Drew Strotman had a solid start going 5.1 innings allowing three runs on four hits while walking three and striking out six.

For the third consecutive game the Saints bullpen didn't allow a run as Chris Nunn (1.1 IP), Nick Vincent (0.1 IP), and Chandler Shepherd (2.0 IP) tossed 3.2 scoreless innings allowing four hits while striking out a pair.

The same two teams meet in game three of the six-game series on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Beau Burrows (2-4, 6.20) to the mound against Storm Chasers LHP Marcelo Martinez (3-6, 5.82). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from September 8, 2021


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