AA St. Paul Saints

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.

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