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IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Strand 13 Runners, Lose 7-4 to Mets

June 9, 2024 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - It wasn't for lack of opportunities. The St. Paul Saints had the first two men on base in four different innings with just one of those eight runners scoring. They loaded the bases twice and didn't score. They had 14 chances with runners in scoring position and collected just one hit. On a bullpen game for both teams the Saints came up short losing 7-4 to the Syracuse Mets at CHS Field in front of 7,360.

Four batters into the game and the Mets grabbed the lead. With one out in the first Mike Brosseau singled to right-center. Rylan Bannon doubled off the base of the wall in left moving Brosseau to third. Scott Blewett's wild pitch scored Brosseau giving the Mets a 1-0 lead.

Yunior Severino, who had an OPS of.950 over his last 14 games, led off the bottom of the second with his 10th home run of the season, a solo shot to the right of center, tying the game at one.

It didn't take long for the Mets to retake the lead. With two outs in the third inning Bannon singled to center and scored on a double from Luke Ritter giving the Mets a 2-1 lead.

Michael Helman, who was hitting.323 over his last 17 games, gave the Saints their first lead of the game in the bottom of the inning. With one out Diego Castillo walked and with two outs Helman crushed a two-run homer to left-center, his 10th of the season and third of the series, making it 3-2 Saints.

Defensive lapses hurt the Saints in the fourth. Pablo Reyes led off with an infield single to short. With one out Carlos Cortes hit a potential double play ball to first, but Severino had the ball go under his glove and into right field. Right fielder Anthony Prato charged the ball and had it go off the heel of his glove allowing the runners to move up to second and third. Yolmer Sánchez followed with a three-run homer to right-center, his fourth of the season, giving the Mets a 5-3 lead.

In the bottom of the inning the Saints loaded the bases on back-to-back walks to Tony Kemp and Prato. With one out Will Holland was hit by a pitch, but Castillo bounced back to the mound for a 1-2-3 double play.

The Mets added to their lead in the fifth. With one out Ritter doubled to center and with two outs Reyes made it 6-3 with an RBI single to left-center.

In the bottom of the fifth the Saints once again loaded the bases. Edouard Julien led off with a walk and Helman followed with a hit by pitch. With two outs Kemp reached on a fielding error by the first baseman Brosseau, but Prato popped out to end the inning.

Hayden Senger led off the sixth inning for the Mets with a solo homer to left-center, his second of the season, making it 7-3.

The Saints finally came up with a big base hit in the sixth. With one out Holland reached on an infield single and he moved to third on a single to center by Castillo. With two outs Helman doubled over the third base bag scoring Holland getting the Saints within three at 7-4. Helman went 3-4 falling a triple shy of the cycle with three RBI and a run scored.

The Saints had an opportunity in the ninth when Severino reached on a one out single to left. He went 3-5 with a home run, RBI, and run scored. With two outs Prato doubled to left bringing the tying run to the plate, but Patrick Winkel struck out to end the game.

The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday night against the Louisville Bats at Louisville Slugger Field at 5:35 p.m. (CT). The Saints send RHP Caleb Boushley (6-1, 3.86) to the mound against Bats LHP Brandon Leibrandt (1-0, 3.68). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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