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AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Next Win Will be Number 1,000 in Franchise History, Play at 11:05 a.m. Today

May 20, 2014 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN (May 20, 2014) - The first win occurred in their very first game on June 15, 1993. Fast forward 22 seasons and the St. Paul Saints are on the verge of doing something only four other Independent franchises have ever accomplished: 1,000 wins. With the 11-3 win on Monday evening in Sioux City the Saints stand at 999 victories.

The Saints are looking to join the Winnipeg Goldeyes and Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the American Association and the Bridgeport Bluefish and Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League with the coveted 1,000 win plateau.

The Saints play game two of a three game series against the Sioux City Explorers on Tuesday morning at 11:05 a.m. at Lewis and Clark Park. With their win Monday night the Saints record in their 22 year history stands at 999-905.

The Saints long climb to 1,000 began with victory number one in the team's very first game on June 15, 1993 at Duluth. While no one knows how dramatic win 1,000 will be, the first victory was one for the record books. With the game tied at three heading to the top of the 10th inning the Saints loaded the bases for Leon Durham. The former Major Leaguer deposited a deep drive over the right field wall to give the Saints a 7-3 lead. They would hang on for a 7-4 victory, the first of many to come that season and over the next 20.

The first team to win game 1,000 in Independent Baseball was the Bluefish. They accomplished the mark on June 27, 2012 with a 2-1 victory over the York Revolution. The Bluefish got two RBI singles from Elliott Ayala in the second and sixth innings to jump out to a 2-0 lead. The Revolution would get one back with a run in the eighth, but left the tying run stranded at third. The Patriots also squeaked out a one run victory in game one of a double header against the Sugar Land Skeeters. In a game scheduled for seven innings Jeff Nettles' fielder's choice in the sixth inning plated Dan Hannigan for the 6-5 lead and the eventual final score on July 24, 2012.

The Goldeyes found their 1,000th win to be of the dramatic variety. Against their rivals from Quebec on June 16, 2013, Nick Liles' chopper to third scored Fehlandt Lentini as the throw was a little late. The two-run bottom of the ninth allowed Quebec to become the third Independent League franchise to earn win 1,000.

Joining the Goldeyes last season were the RedHawks who defeated the Saints on July 25 with a walk-off homer by Buddy Sosnoskie. That dramatic home run at Newman Outdoor Field capped off win number 1,000.

MOST WINS BY AN INDEPENDENT BASEBALL FRANCHISE (1993-Present)*

TEAM LEAGUE 1ST YEAR RECORD WIN%

Somerset Patriots Atlantic League 1998 1129-970 .538

Bridgeport Bluefish Atlantic League 1998 1107-992 .527

Winnipeg Goldeyes American Assoc. 1994 1042-791 .569

Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks American Assoc. 1996 1024-644 .614

St. Paul Saints American Assoc. 1993 999-905 .525

Long Island Ducks Atlantic League 2000 967-890 .521

Amarillo Sox American Assoc. 1994 966-810 .544

*Through Games of May 19, 2013

Check out the St. Paul Saints Statistics

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