
Saints Win Longest Nine Inning Game in Franchise History, 13-12 over I-Cubs
August 28, 2022 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release
DES MOINES, IA - Somehow, someway, the St. Paul Saints found a way to beat the Iowa Cubs on Sunday afternoon at Principal Park. After starter Dereck RodrÃÂguez didn't get out of the first, the Saints used a franchise record eight pitchers, threw a nine inning franchise record 223 pitches, but at the end outlasted the I-Cubs 13-12 in the longest nine inning game in franchise history at three hours and 44 minutes.
The Saints continued using their speed in the first inning to get on the board. Mark Contreras led off the game by getting hit by a pitch. He stole second, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a Chris Williams single to put the Saints up 1-0. Cole Sturgeon then walked and John Andreoli knocked them both home with a double to left-center making it 3-0.
The lead didn't last long as the I-Cubs sent 10 men to the plate in the first and knocked RodrÃÂguez out of the game before the inning ended. Jared Young led off the inning with a walk. Major League rehabber Michael Hermosillo doubled him to third. With one out, Matt Mervis drew a walk loading the bases. Back-to-back two-run doubles by Narciso Crook and Levi Jordan gave the I-Cubs a 4-3 lead. Esteban Quiroz then walked and, with two outs, Erick Castillo singled home Jordan making it 5-3 and chasing RodrÃÂguez after just 0.2 of an inning, tied for the shortest start by a starter this season.
The I-Cubs tacked on a run in the second as Hermosillo led off the inning with a double to left. With one out, Mervis drove him home with a single to right-center increasing the lead to 6-3.
The Saints matched the I-Cubs five-run first with one of their own in the fourth. Nash Knight led off the inning with a single to left. David Bañuelos then hit a liner to right that was dropped by Crook putting runners at first and second. Back-to-back RBI singles from Contreras and Jermaine Palacios got the Saints to within 6-5. Matt Wallner walked to load the bases and Williams unloaded them with a double down the third base line putting the Saints up 8-6.
Randy Dobnak started his Major League rehab with the Saints in the bottom of the fourth and was greeted by a solo homer from Mervis, his sixth of the season, to lead off the inning making it 8-7. With one out, Dobnak walked Jordan and then hit Quiroz. Luis Vazquez tied the game up with a single to center.
The Saints put up their third crooked number of the game in the fifth as they plated three. Andreoli led off with a walk and that was followed by a two-run homer from Knight, his first of the season, giving the Saints a 10-8 lead. With one out, Elliot Soto drew a walk and Contreras was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Wallner made it 11-8 with an RBI double off the left field wall as Contreras was thrown out at the plate trying the score.
The I-Cubs responded with a run off Dobnak in the bottom of the inning as Hermosillo led off with a triple to right-center. He scored on a sacrifice fly from David Bote making it 11-9. Dobnak went 2.0 innings allowing three runs on four hits while walking two and striking out two.
The Saints tacked on an insurance run in the seventh without a hit. With one out, Bañuelos and Soto walked. They moved up on a passed ball and Contreras' sacrifice fly gave the Saints a 12-9 lead.
Matt Wallner added another run for the Saints in the eighth with a solo blast to right, his fourth of the season, increasing the lead to 13-9.
The I-Cubs cut the lead to a run in the bottom of the inning. Jordan led off the inning by reaching on a fielding error by Palacios at short. Esteban Quiroz then singled to right-center putting runners at the corners. Vazquez made it 13-10 with an RBI single to right. John Hicks' double scored Quiroz cutting the Saints lead to 13-11. The I-Cubs got to 13-12 courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Darius Hill.
In the bottom of the ninth the I-Cubs had a chance to tie the game when they got a runner to third with one out. Crook walked with one out and advanced to third on a single by Jordan. Brad Peacock, however, got Quiroz to foul out to third and Vazquez to fly out to right to end the game. It was the first time in Peacock's career he earned a save in back-to-back games in his career.
The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. against the Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals). Both teams are TBA. The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.
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