
Saints' Three Home Runs Late Not Enough in 8-3 Loss
June 8, 2024 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release
ST. PAUL, MN - The two pitchers with the highest groundball rate in the International League faced off on Saturday night at CHS Field. St. Paul Saints starter Randy Dobnak, who leads all of Triple-A in groundball rate, went up against Syracuse Mets lefty, Joey Lucchesi. Early on it looked like neither team would do much against those pitchers, but a five-run fifth by the Mets was too much for the Saints to overcome in an 8-3 loss in front of a season-high 9,204.
After three perfect innings, the wheels came off for Dobnak in the fourth. Luisangel Acuña led off with an infield single to short. A wild pitch sent Acuña to second. Pablo Reyes reached on a throwing error by shortstop Brooks Lee putting runners at the corners. Rylan Bannon made it 2-0 with a two-run single into the gap in left-center. Luke Ritter then singled, putting runners at first and second. Trayce Thompson hit a three-run homer to left-center, his 15th of the season, making it 5-0. Dobnak would then load the bases on three straight singles before getting a strikeout and leaving the game. Hobie Harris got out of the jam with two fly outs. Dobnak went 3.1 innings allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits while fanning six.
Lucchesi meanwhile walked back-to-back batters in the second, but didn't allow a hit through four innings. The Saints collected their first hit with a leadoff single to left by Castillo in the fifth.
The Mets added to their lead in the fifth. With two outs and nobody on, back-to-back doubles from Thompson and Brosseau increased the lead to 6-0.
Back-to-back solo home runs from Reyes, his fourth of the season, and Brosseau, his 10th, in the seventh pushed the Mets lead to 8-0.
The Saints finally cracked the Lucchesi code in the seventh inning. After allowing just one ball in the air through the first six, a foul out by Tony Kemp, Michael Helman, his ninth of the season, and Diego Castillo, his third, hit back-to-back solo home runs getting the Saints to within 8-2.
Will Holland hit the Saints third home run of the night in the eighth, a leadoff solo homer to left-center, his fifth of the season, that traveled 437 feet cutting the deficit to 8-3. The Saints would threaten later in the inning when Brooks Lee reached on a one out infield single to third and Helman doubled him to third with two outs. Castillo, however, would strikeout to end the inning.
The same two teams meet in the finale of the six-game series at 2:07 p.m. on Sunday at CHS Field. The Saints send RHP Scott Blewett (3-2, 2.28) to the mound against Mets LHP Tyler Jay (3-0, 2.00). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, MLB.TV, MiLB.TV, and the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.
• Discuss this story on the International League message board...
International League Stories from June 8, 2024
- Celestino in the Clutch: Indians Walk off Clippers on Two-Out, Two-Run Double in Ninth - Indianapolis Indians
- Bats Record 4-2 Win Over Sounds In Extra Innings - Louisville Bats
- I-Cubs Defeat Mud Hens with Walk-off - Iowa Cubs
- Chasers Fall 13-4 in Six to Memphis, Ending Nine-Game Win Streak - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Sounds Fall to Bats in Extras - Nashville Sounds
- Saints' Three Home Runs Late Not Enough in 8-3 Loss - St. Paul Saints
- Lucchesi Shines as Syracuse Beats St. Paul, 8-3, on Saturday Night - Syracuse Mets
- RailRiders Top Norfolk Tides in Walk-off, 10-7 - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Memphis Shuts out Omaha, Baker Hits 70th Home Run as Redbird - Memphis Redbirds
- Back-and-Forth Battle Doesn't Fall in the Hens' Favor - Toledo Mud Hens
- Ruben Cardenas Debuts with Two Homers to Lead 'Pigs by Bisons - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- Knights Fall to 'Shrimp 7-2 on Saturday - Charlotte Knights
- Bisons Unable to Overcome Early Deficit against Lehigh Valley - Buffalo Bisons
- Conine Powers Jumbo Shrimp to 7-2 Win - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Baz, Shenton Pave Way for 7-3 Bulls Win - Durham Bulls
- Stripers Cooled off by Baz, Bulls in 7-3 Loss - Gwinnett Stripers
- Tides Fall Victim to Scranton/WB Comeback - Norfolk Tides
- Sogard, Offense Lead WooSox to Third Straight Victory - Worcester Red Sox
- Red Wings Fall in Third-Straight Game at Worcester - Rochester Red Wings
- June 8 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Toledo Mud Hens - Iowa Cubs
- Michael Chavis Signed, Joins Knights Saturday - Charlotte Knights
- SWB Game Notes - June 8 - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - June 8 at Worcester - Rochester Red Wings
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent St. Paul Saints Stories
- Saints Make History with Second Straight Shutout, 5-0 over Clippers
- Weather Part Deux: Saints and Indianapolis Postponed for Second Consecutive Day
- Saints and Indianapolis Postponed Due to Weather, Doubleheader Date TBD
- Saints' Opening Act Is Pure Domination in 11-0 Thumping of Indianapolis
- Off and Runing, Saints Magnetic Personalities Will Keep Fans Warm During Opening Weekend March 28-30

