IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Set Season High in Runs, Roll into All-Star Break with 20-4 Shellacking of I-Cubs

Published on July 9, 2023 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


DES MOINES, IA - The offense the St. Paul Saints displayed last week at home came flooding out in the final game of the series against the Iowa Cubs. All nine batters collected a hit, eight of nine scored a run, and seven of nine had an RBI. The Saints pounded out 19 hits, tied a franchise record with 13 walks, Andrew Stevenson set a career high with six RBI, and Kyle Garlick knocked in five in a 20-4 trouncing of the Iowa Cubs at Principal Park on Sunday afternoon, the final game before the four-day All-Star break. The Saints improved to 9-3 in the second half.

Both teams exchanged leadoff solo home runs in the first inning. Stevenson got things started on the second pitch of the game with a 400-foot homer to right, his ninth of the season, giving the Saints a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, Yonathan Perlaza took the second pitch he saw over the right field wall, his ninth of the season, tying the game at one. After that, it was all Saints as they scored 16 unanswered runs.

The Saints didn't need to take the bat off their shoulders in the second as they plated five runs on just one hit. Trevor Larnach, Gilberto Celestino, and Anthony Prato reached on three consecutive walks to start the inning. Tony Wolters followed with a walk to force in a run and make it 2-1. With one out Stevenson walked to make it 3-1. With two outs, Matt Wallner walked giving the Saints a 4-1. The lone hit of the inning came from Garlick, a two-run single off the glove of a leaping Luis Vazquez at short, making it 6-1.

In the fourth, the Saints topped what they did in the second. They sent 12 men to the plate and scored eight runs. With one out, Stevenson singled to right-center. He stole second, the 31st of the season a new Saints franchise record as a Triple-A affiliate, and Austin Martin walked. Wallner made it 7-1 with an RBI single to right-center. A sacrifice fly from Garlick gave the Saints an 8-1 lead. After an infield single by Celestino loaded the bases, Anthony Prato unloaded them with a double high off the wall in center increasing the lead to 11-1. Wolters walked putting runners at first and second. Alex De Goti made it 12-1 with a double to right. Stevenson finished the scoring with a two-run single to center increasing the lead to 14-1.

The Saints kept pouring it on in the fifth. Wallner led off with a walk and scored on an RBI double from Garlick making it 15-1. Garlick finished the day 4-5 with a double and five RBI.

The Saints grabbed two more runs without a hit in the sixth. Wolters led off with a walk, with one out Stevenson walked, and Martin was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Wallner reached on an error by first baseman Matt Mervis that scored a run making it 16-1. Garlick walked with the bases loaded giving the Saints a 17-1 lead.

The I-Cubs ended the Saints string of 16 consecutive runs scored by plating three in the sixth without a hit. Two-way player Andrew Bechtold loaded the bases with the first three hitters on a walk, hit by pitch, and walk. He then walked in a run and a fielder's choice scored another run making it 17-3. After a walk to load the bases, Bechtold was removed for Cody Laweryson who walked in a run making it 17-4.

In the eighth, the Saints added another run on three singles from Martin, Garlick, and Larnach, the latter making it 18-4.

Stevenson finished off his record-breaking day in the ninth. Wolters led off with a single, De Goti doubled him to third, and Stevenson knocked them both in with a single to make it 20-4. Stevenson finished 4-5 with a home run, career-high six RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base.

Louie Varland was solid in his 5.0 innings of work allowing one run on three hits while walking two and striking out six.

The Saints are off for the next four days for the All-Star break and return to action on Friday night at CHS Field against the Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays) at 7:07 p.m. Both teams are TBA.

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International League Stories from July 9, 2023


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