IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Put in the Work, But Lose 9-5

Published on September 18, 2021 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The St. Paul Saints owned the first three games of the series, but that hasn't been the case over the last two games. Despite scoring the first two runs of the game, the Saints couldn't overcome two, four-run innings and lost 9-5 to the Indianapolis Indians on Saturday night at Victory Field.

The Saints capitalized on a little wildness by John O'Reilly, making his first professional start, in the second inning. Mark Contreras led off the inning with a walk and Gilberto Celestino was then hit by a pitch. With two outs Sherman Johnson knocked home Contreras with a single to right-center giving the Saints a 1-0 lead. Drew Stankiewicz came through with an RBI single to right-center making it 2-0.

In the bottom of the inning Hunter Owen clubbed a solo homer to left, his 18th of the season, cutting the Saints lead to 2-1.

The Indians took the lead in the third as Michael Chavis led off with a single to left. After a walk to Bligh Madris, Phillip Evans hit a pop up that fell in between the second baseman Johnson and the right fielder Gilberto Celestino, but Johnson was able to throw Madris out at second. Owen loaded the bases on a fielder's choice ground ball to third. Diego Castillo tied the game at two with a sacrifice fly. A walk to Chris Sharpe loaded the bases and that was followed by a bases clearing double from Taylor Davis making it 5-2 Indians.

In the fourth, Celestino reached on a dropped third strike and that proved costly. With one out, Damek Tomscha tripled him home to cut the deficit to 5-3. Tomscha then scored on a balk to make it 5-4.

The Indians tacked on four more in the fourth. With one out, Chavis hit a solo homer to left, his sixth of the season, giving the Indians a 6-4 lead. After a walk to Bligh Madris, Bryan Sammons departed for reliever Ian Hamilton. He was greeted by an RBI double from Evans to make it 7-4. Owen then hit his second homer of the night, a two-run shot to right his 19th of the season, giving the Indians a 9-4 lead.

The Saints cut the deficit to 9-5 in the sixth as Jimmy Kerrigan singled with one out. He stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. A ground out by Tomscha scored Kerrigan, but the Saints would get no closer.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the six-game series on Sunday afternoon at 12:35 p.m. The Saints send RHP Drew Strotman (9-3, 4.71) to the mound against Indians RHP Beau Sulser (6-7, 4.91). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from September 18, 2021


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