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AA St. Paul Saints

Saltdogs Comeback to Bite Saints 8-3 in Series Opener

August 14, 2009 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN (August 14, 2009) - The St. Paul Saints could not hold a lead as they fell to the Lincoln Saltdogs 8-3 Friday night at Midway Stadium in front of 6,087 fans. The Saints are now 2.0 games behind the North Division leading Saltdogs with 15 games remaining in the regular season.

Clinging to a 3-2 lead in the seventh, the Saints bullpen allowed Lincoln to tie the game. Mike Bille, on in relief of starter Mitch Wylie, yielded a leadoff double to Gavin Dickey. After a successful sacrifice advanced Dickey to third, Brandon Jones grounded out to the right side, scoring Dickey and knotting the game at 3-3.

In the eighth the Saltdogs got the leadoff man to reach once again. Bille walked Albenis Machado and Phil Hawke followed with a single to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Steve Alexander then flew out to right field but it was deep enough to plate Machado and put the Saltdogs on top 4-3.

Still trailing by just one run in the ninth, the visiting Saltdogs blew the game wide open against Jim Brower. Back-to-back singles by Shea McFeely and Jones put Lincoln in business. After a groundout moved both runners into scoring position, Machado hit a sacrifice fly to drive in McFeely. Enjoying a 5-3 advantage the Saltdogs kept the pressure on Brower and the Saints. Hawke singled to right to score Jones and extend Lincoln's lead to 6-3. After Steve Alexander was hit by a pitch, Rafael Alvarez doubled into the left-center gap to score two more runs and put the Saltdogs up 8-3.

The series opening loss by the Saints wasted a tremendous outing by Mitch Wylie. He lasted 6.0 innings, allowing just two runs on four hits while walking four and striking out three.

Saltdogs starter Jarrett Gardner also did not factor in the decision. Gardner tossed 6.2 innings, giving up three runs on six hits while walking one and striking out two.

The Saltdogs took 1-0 lead in the second when Steve Alexander blasted a home run over the center field wall, his 11th of the season. The Saints responded in the bottom of the inning with a Josh Alley solo bomb, his first of the year. St. Paul took a 3-1 edge when Jeff Eure hit a two-run dinger in the fourth. It was Eure's fourth home run this season with the Saints.

The Saints will try to even the series when they face the Saltdogs in game two of a three game set Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. at Midway Stadium. The Saints will send RHP Tom Buske (3-4, 4.25) to the mound and he will oppose Saltdogs RHP Justin Knoff (0-0, 0.00). It is Back to School Giveaway, presented by Xcel Energy. The game can be seen on KSTC-TV, Channel 45 and heard live on Relevant Radio 1330.

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