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IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Power up to End Losing Streak, Take Down Iowa Cubs 8-1

May 4, 2022 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - All the frustration from a four-game losing streak came pouring out for the St. Paul Saints on Wednesday night at CHS Field in front of 4,693. They used two long balls over the first two innings and that helped propel them to an 8-1 victory over the Iowa Cubs. The win improves the Saints to 13-11 on the season.

The turning point in the game occurred in the top of the first when starter Ronny Henriquez pitched around the first two hitters reaching. Dixon Machado led off the game with a double down the left field line. An infield single by Ildemaro Vargas put runners at the corners. That's when Henriquez settled down. He got Jared Young to hit a comebacker that erased Machado from third. With runners at second and third and one out, Henriquez got a foul out to first and then struck out Greg Deichmann to end the inning.

The Saints used that momentum to score first for the first time in five games. A leadoff walk to Jake Cave and a two-out walk to Curtis Terry brought up Mark Contreras. He deposited one over the right field wall, his fifth of the season, giving the Saints a 3-0 lead.

The Saints got two more in the second by way of the long ball. Derek Fisher led off by being hit by a pitch and Elliot Soto followed with a two-run homer, his first of the season and first since August 29, 2019, pushing the Saints lead to 5-0.

The I-Cubs snagged a run back with a long ball of their own, a solo shot to right by Jared Young, his sixth of the season making it 5-1. Henriquez went 3.1 innings allowing one run on six hits while walking one and striking out four.

In the fifth, Royce Lewis led off by reaching on a throwing error from the third baseman Vargas. Alex Kirilloff walked. The two pulled off a double steal and Terry brought them both home with a two-run double off the right-center field wall giving the Saints a six-run cushion at 7-1.

Lewis led off the seventh with a double to right-center. Kirilloff followed with an infield single to second and Trent Giambrone's throw to first went awry allowing Lewis to score increasing the lead to 8-1. Lewis finished the night 2-5 with a double, two runs, and two stolen bases. The Saints finished with a franchise record four stolen bases.

The bullpen was tremendous with JC Ramírez going 3.2 scoreless innings allowing one hit while striking out three. Drew Strotman and Yennier Cano each threw a perfect inning of relief. The Saints bullpen has allowed one run in the last 12.2 innings pitched.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series on Thursday night at CHS Field at 6:37 p.m. The Saints send RHP Chi Chi González (1-0, 3.52) to the mound and the I-Cubs are TBA. 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 May 4, 2022


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