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IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Start off Second Half on Right Foot, Win 6-5 Over I-Cubs

June 25, 2024 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


DES MOINES, IA - After winning 11 of the final 12 games to close out the first half, the St. Paul Saints were hoping to ride that momentum to begin the second half. They came back from two runs down on two different occasions to beat the Iowa Cubs 6-5 on Tuesday night at Principal Park.

The Iowa Cubs jumped out on top in the third courtesy of a long ball. With one out Jack Reinheimer doubled to left. That was followed by a two-run homer from Hayden Contreras, his first of the season, giving the I-Cubs a 2-0 lead.

It didn't take long for the Saints to take the lead. With one out in the fourth back-to-back walks to Yunior Severino and Jair Camargo put runners at first and second. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. lined a single to left loading the bases. Diego Castillo got the Saints on the board with an RBI groundout to third. Tony Kemp followed with a two-run double to the gap in right-center giving the Saints a 3-2 lead.

The long ball bit the Saints in the fifth. With two outs and nobody on Cole Roederer tied the game at three with a solo homer to right, his third of the season. Marcus Ballesteros followed with a double to right-center and Alexander Canario delivered with a two-run homer to right, his 15th of the season, putting the I-Cubs up 5-3.

Over the last three weeks the Saints have hit 42% of their home runs this season (42 of their 97) in 22 games. They used two in the sixth to take the lead for good. With one out Kemp walked and that was followed by a Will Holland two-run homer to left, his sixth of the season, tying the game at five. Two batters later and Brooks Lee gave the Saints a 6-5 lead with a solo homer to left, his fifth of the season.

The Saints bullpen of Jordan Balazovic and Nick Wittgren did the rest. Balazovic went 2.1 shutout innings allowing one hit and striking out one. Wittgren was perfect over his 2.0 innings and picked up the save.

The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series on Wednesday afternoon at 12:05 p.m. The Saint send RHP David Festa (3-2, 3.77) to the mound against I-Cubs RHP Rrey Supak (1-0, 0.00).

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