NL St. Paul Saints

Saints regain first place

Published on July 5, 2005 under Northern League (NL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - Jeremy Frost went 3-for-3 and drove in the run that broke a 4-4 tie as St. Paul edged Joliet, 6-5 and regained first place in the tight first half South Division race. The Saints (26-17) lead Kansas City, which lost at Schaumburg by a half-game.

Each team has four games remaining in the first half of the Northern League season.

Brian Steffek (3-2) pitched four scoreless innings to get the win and Matt Hammons moved into a tie for the league lead with his ninth save before 5,048 fans at Midway Stadium.

St. Paul starter Rich Cartier continued his first inning struggles, allowing three runs in the top of the opening inning. The Saints rallied for three in the bottom of the inning to tie the game but the Jackhammers (21-23), who were officially eliminated from the South race with the loss, took a 4-3 lead on Josh Loggins' RBI single in the fourth inning.

The Saints rallied against losing pitcher Matt Petrusek (2-1) in the bottom of the fifth. Nick Gretz led off the inning with a single and moved to second when Tonayne Brown was safe on an error. Josh Renick moved the runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt. A wild pitch scored Gretz to tie the game. Frost then singled to left to give St. Paul a 5-4 lead. The Saints added what appeared to be an insurance run the next inning when Chad Ehrnsberger, who has a 13-game hitting streak, doubled and eventually scored on a Kyle Zaleski wild pitch.

Steffek, who replaced Cartier in the fifth inning, allowed no runs, one hit and struck out six batters to take the game into the ninth. Hammons walked Josh Loggins with one out. He, too, tossed a wild pitch that moved the runner up a base. Matt McCay's third hit of the game, a single, scored Loggins but John Lackaff grounded out to end the game.

St. Paul will send righthander Mike Meyer (2-3) to the mound in Wednesday's series finale and Joliet righty Jason Shelley (4-3)

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Northern League Stories from July 5, 2005


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