IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Late Comeback Falls Short in 8-6 Loss to Clippers

August 11, 2022 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The St. Paul Saints gave up five runs in the sixth inning, but battled back after that. Unfortunately, they came up just a little short in an 8-6 loss to the Columbus Clippers, in front of the largest crowd of the season and fifth largest in franchise history 10,077, at CHS Field on Thursday night.

With the Saints leading 3-2 in the sixth, the Clippers grabbed the lead for good courtesy of two long balls. David Fry led off the inning with a walk. With one out Trenton Brooks singled to left. Oscar Mercado followed with a three-run homer to left, his fourth of the season, putting the Clippers up 5-3. Jose Fermin then reached on a pop up that dropped between the pitcher and first baseman. Two batters later Gabriel Arias crushed a two-run homer to left, his ninth of the season, making it 7-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Saints climbed to within two. Michael Helman led off with a single to right and two batters later Matt Wallner drilled a two-run homer to right, his second of the season, cutting the deficit to 7-5.

The Saints got to within one in the eighth. Chris Williams led off with a walk. He advanced to second on a passed ball and then went to third when Braden Bishop reached on a throwing error by the shortstop Arias. A wild pitch scored Williams getting the Saints to withing one at 7-6.

The Clippers added an insurance run in the ninth courtesy of Arias' second homer of the game, a solo shot to center, his 10th of the season, making it 8-6.

Jordan Balazovic got the start for the Saints and turned in one of his stronger performances of the season. After giving up a leadoff single in the first, he retired the side in order.

Balazovic's lone mistake came in the second. The Clippers grabbed the lead as Ernie Clement walked with one out. Trenton Brooks followed with a two-run homer to right, his seventh of the season, putting the Clippers up 2-0. Balazovic went a season tying high 4.0 innings allowing two runs on two hits while walking two and striking out one.

The Saints answered in the third as John Andreoli led off with a walk. Two batters later Bishop singled to left putting runners at first and second. Helman made it 2-1 with an RBI double of the wall in right-center. A two out walk to Wallner loaded the bases and Caleb Hamilton gave the Saints a 3-2 lead with a two-run double to left.

The same two teams meet on Friday in the fourth game of the six-game series at 7:07 p.m. at CHS Field. The Saints send Louie Varland to the mound as he makes his Triple-A debut against Clippers RHP Hunter Gaddis (1-0, 2.70). The game can be seen on FOX9+ and MiLB.TV

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International League Stories from August 11, 2022


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