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IL St. Paul Saints

Saints Win It in Grand Fashion 9-4 over I-Cubs

August 20, 2021 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - Drew Maggi was stuck on a career tying high 11 home runs since June 24. Nearly a month since his last long ball he finally set that career-high and it came courtesy of his second career grand slam as that helped propel the St. Paul Saints to a 9-4 victory over the Iowa Cubs on Thursday night at CHS field in front of 6,855. The win improves the Saints to 51-42 and they are now all alone in second place for the first time since June 4 and just 1.5 games behind Toledo.

With the Saints down 4-2 in the sixth they loaded the bases for Maggi's heroics. Tomás Telis led off the inning with a single to right that was followed by a single to center from Mark Conteras to put runners at first and second. With one out, Sherman Johnson hit a ground ball to short that was backhanded by Edwin Figuera, but his throw to first pulled Jared Young off the bag as the throwing error loaded the bases. The next hitter, Maggi, hit a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall for his career high 12th home run to give the Saints a 6-4 lead.

The Saints tacked on three insurance runs in the eighth as Trevor Larnach started it by being hit by a pitch. Telis singled and Contreras added an RBI single to make it 7-4. Contreras finished the night 3-4 with a double, two RBI and three runs scored. He now has back-to-back three hit games joining Jose Miranda and Jake Cave as the only Saints to accomplish that feat this season. With two outs, Johnson drove home a pair with a single to center.

The Saints doubled their pleasure in the first inning as Larnach walked with one out. With two outs Contreras doubled over the head of right fielder Alfonso Rivas that scored Larnach putting the Saints up 1-0. The next hitter, Gilberto Celestino, doubled home Contreras with shot to the gap in right-center making it 2-0.

The I-Cubs took the lead in the fourth as Alfonso Rivas led off with a double to right and Nick Martini was hit by a pitch. Burrows got a groundout from Taylor Gushue that moved the runners up and then a pop out to Jared Young. With two outs, though, Abiatal Avelino singled to left scoring both runners tying the game at two. Burrows, on a 70 pitch count, was removed for Andrew Vasquez. He walked Trent Giambrone and then Ian Miller hit a two-run double down the left field line putting the I-Cubs up 4-2.

The Saints, short on arms, got strong work from their bullpen. After Beau Burrows started and allowed three runs over 3.2 innings, Andrew Vasquez (1.1 innings), Ian Gibaut (1.2 innings), Yennier Cano (1.1 innings), and Ian Hamilton (1.0 inning) allowed just one run over the final 5.1 innings while striking out eight.

The same two teams meet in game four of the six-game series on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saint send RHP Joe Ryan (4-3, 3.63) against RHP Joe Biagini (2-6, 5.55). The game can be seen on FOX 9+ and MiLB and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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