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AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Roughed up by Jackals 9-2

June 6, 2012 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


LITTLE FALLS, NJ (June 6, 2012) - If St. Paul Saints manager George Tsamis was looking for a little nostalgia as he returned to the place where he won two championships in two years, he may have gotten it on Wednesday morning. The New Jersey Jackals handled the Saints Wednesday morning 9-2 at Yogi Berra Stadium on the campus of Montclair State, the same way Tsamis' Jackals teams did against their opponents in 2001-02.

The Saints offense continues to sputter and once again they faced a starter whos ERA was a robust number. Jon Kibler came in with a 7.24 ERA, but the Saints couldn't do much damage against the lefty. In the second inning the first three hitters singled as Ole Sheldon, Willie Cabrera and Tanner Townsend all collected hits, the latter scoring a run. That would be all the noise the Saints made against Kibler who went 6.0 innings allowing one run on four hits while walking four and striking out four.

The Saints starter, on the other hand, was supposed to be one of their best, Wes Roemer. Roemer, however, had his contract purchased on Tuesday by the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Saints were in a bind. They found a starter in former Major Leaguer Anthony Claggett, who was just released by the Somerset Patriots. Claggett arrived at the ballpark an hour before game time and got through the first two innings. In the third, however, the Jackals took a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Three straight singles to start the inning by Danny Santiesteban, Steve Caseres and Chris Henderson plated a run. A sacrifice line out by Angel Berroa gave the Jackals a 2-1 lead.

The Jackals exploded for six in the fourth inning to put the game away. Francisco Carraballo led off with a walk and Nick Giarraputo hit a two-run homer, his sixth of the season, to give the Jackals a 4-1 lead. With one out Santiesteban walked, stole second and Caseres doubled him home. Claggett left the game for reliever Josh Cephas. After getting an out, Cephas walked Gaetano Giunta and then gave up a three-run homer to Berroa, his sixth of the season, to give the Jackals an 8-1 lead. The Jackals would hit one more homer, a solo homer by Carraballo in the fifth and cruised to the victory.

The lone bright spot for the Saints offense was Jose Hernandez extending his hitting streak to a career tying high 14 games as he went 2-4.

The final game of the Saints 10 game roadtrip is Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. against the Jackals. The Saints send RHP Danny Gutierrez (0-0, 3.38) to the mound against Jackals RHP Kyle Greenwalt (1-0, 1.69). The game can be heard on Club 1220 KLBB.

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