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AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Hold On for 3-2 Victory Over AirHogs

August 25, 2009 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


GRAND PRAIRIE, TX (August 25, 2009) - As calm as the first seven innings of Tuesday night's game was, is as crazy as the final two innings became as the St. Paul Saints hung on for a 3-2 victory against the Grand Prairie AirHogs at QuickTrip Park.

Saints starter Tom Buske was tremendous and it looked like the two teams were on their way to a similar game as the night before. Buske was given a 1-0 lead in the third when Steve Mays doubled, moved to third when catcher JB Tucker tried to pick off Mays and threw the ball into center field and scored on a two out single from Josh Alley.

Buske cruised until the eighth. Chad Gabriel led off the eighth by reaching on Steve Butler's throwing error. He moved to second on a sacrifice from Tucker. Buske then got Drew Holder to ground out. The lead off man in the order, however, Joseph Spiers, singled to center scoring Gabriel to tie the game at one. Spiers stole second and that was Buske's night. Mike Bille came out of the bullpen and fanned Daniel Berg to end the inning. Buske went 7.2 innings allowing one unearned run on four hits while walking two and striking out two. That's when thing got crazy.

In the top of the ninth Jacob Butler led off with a single to left and moved to second on a walk to Jeff Eure. The AirHogs went with their closer James Morrison. He struck out Andrew Schmiesing, who couldn't lay down the sacrifice bunt. Pinch hitter Anthony Norman reached on a fielder's choice, as they erased the middle runner Eure. With two outs and runners at the corners Steve Butler came through with a single to right scoring Jacob Butler. Alex Fonseca followed with an RBI single to make it 3-1, a lead they would carry into the bottom of the ninth.

Bille would hit the lead off man in the bottom of the ninth, Cesar Nicholas, and walk Mike Conroy. After getting Javier Brito to fly out, lefty Ryan Ariail came in to face the left-hander Derek Nicholson. Ariail would walk Nicholson to load the bases and Kyle Foster would then come out of the Saints bullpen. He hit Chad Gabriel to force in a run. Foster, however, would strike out Tucker and get Holder to ground out to second to end the game.

The final game of the three game series is Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. at QuickTrip Park. The Saints will send RHP Mark Moriarty (2-5, 5.81) to the mound against AirHogs RHP Dimitri Camareno (4-3, 4.21). The game can be heard on Relevant Radio 1330.

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