
Saints Two Homers in Ninth Puts Them on Precipice of Playoffs, Win 3-2
August 28, 2018 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release
WINNIPEG, MB - Down to their final two outs the St. Paul Saints got two mighty swings of the bat that may have vaulted them into the playoffs. Zach Walters and Justin O'Conner did the damage as the Saints scored three in the ninth to win 3-2 over the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Tuesday night at Shaw Park. The win improves the Saints to 56-38 on the season and dropped their magic number to one. The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks were still in action and were down 5-3. A loss by the RedHawks and the Saints are in the playoffs. The Saints increased their lead in the North Division to 2.5 games over the Gary SouthShore Railcats with six to play. The RailCats were also still in action at the time of this writing.
The Saints managed just four singles in the first 8.0 innings against Mitchell Lambson, all singles. That was until the ninth. With one out Brady Shoemaker roped a double to left-center field. The switch hitting Zach Walters, who had just one home run from the right side this season, took the lefty Lambson deep to left, his 13th of the season and seventh with the Saints, to tie the game at two. Two batters later Justin O'Conner crushed a solo shot over the left field wall, his 16th of the season, to give the Saints their first lead of the night.
In the bottom of the ninth Zack Jones came on to close it out. Andrew Sohn led off with a single to right. Josh Romanski, however, hit a grounder to first that Nathaniel Maggio fielded, stepped on first and threw to second for the double play. Jones would then strike out Grant Heyman to end the game and earn his ninth save of the season.
Saints starter Trevor Foss pitched well and his only mistake came in the second inning. Jordan Ebert led off with an infield single to third. Josh McAdams, who finished the night 4-4, dumped a single to right putting runners at first and second. Tyler Baker sacrificed the runners over and Andrew Sohn drove them both home with a single to right-center to make it 2-0. Foss went 5.2 innings allowing two runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out two.
It would stay tied until the ninth when the Saints got their fourth win when trailing going into the final frame.
The Saints head home and begin a three-game series against the Chicago Dogs on Wednesday night at CHS Field at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send LHP Chris Nunn (6-3, 3.23) against the Dogs RHP Trevor Simms (2-4, 3.05). It is the Largest Sologamy Celebration. The game can be seen on the Saints Cable Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, and heard on Alt 93.3 FM.
American Association Stories from August 28, 2018
- RailCats Out-Slug Wingnuts to Earn Split - Wichita Wingnuts
- Carey's 4 Hits & 8 2-Out Runs Leads RailCats to 11-8 Victory - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- American Association Game Recaps - AA
- Saltdogs Tally 13 Runs in Rubber Match Win on Git-R-Done Night - Lincoln Saltdogs
- Saints Clinch Playoff Berth with RedHawks Loss - St. Paul Saints
- T- Bones Walk It off in Slugfest - Sioux City Explorers
- Railroaders Strike out 17 Times in Sioux Falls - Cleburne Railroaders
- Saints Two Homers in Ninth Puts Them on Precipice of Playoffs, Win 3-2 - St. Paul Saints
- Saints Rally in Ninth to Beat Goldeyes - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- One Plus One Plus One Equals Two in Ninth - Kansas City Monarchs
- Sioux City Explorers South Division Champions - Sioux City Explorers
- Final Chance to Say Yes (to Yourself) in the Regular Season During August 29-September 3 Homestand - St. Paul Saints
- Wingnuts Recognize Wichita Baseball Legends Stephenson and Hooper - Wichita Wingnuts
- Heavy Rain Doesn't Delay Chicago Win over RedHawks - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- American Association Game Recaps - AA
- Carkuff Leads Dogs to 7-0 Shutout of RedHawks - Chicago Dogs
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