IL St. Paul Saints

Sammons Collects First Triple-A Win as Saints Snap Seven Game Skid, Win 9-2

Published on September 1, 2021 under International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


COLUMBUS, OH - The St. Paul Saints can breathe a sigh of relief. They entered a ballpark that was very kind to them offensively at the end of June and they picked up right where they left off. A five-run first and a superb outing by Bryan Sammons helped snap the Saints seven game losing streak with a 9-2 victory over the Columbus Clippers Wednesday night at Huntington Park.

The Saints jumped out to a big lead in the first and they did it by swinging at the first pitch. Jose Miranda lined a single into left on the first pitch of the game. He extended his hitting streak to 10 games. The first pitch to Trevor Larnach was singled into right-center putting runners at the corners. With one out, Mark Contreras swung at the first pitch and his sacrifice fly made it 1-0. Gilberto Celestino increased the lead to 2-0 with an RBI double to right. An error by shortstop Gabrial Arias allowed Jimmy Kerrigan to reach and extend the inning. Drew Maggi walked to load the bases and Damek Tomscha followed with a two-run single to left increasing the lead to 4-0. JT Riddle finished off the scoring with an RBI single to left giving the Saints a 5-0 lead.

The Saints, who managed just one home run in their previous series at Toledo, matched that total in the third inning. Celestino led off the inning with a walk and with one out Maggi drilled a two-run homer to right, his 13th of the season, making it 7-0 Saints.

That was more than enough for Sammons who didn't allow a hit through the first two innings and worked out of a first and second no out jam in the third.

The Clippers got on the board in the fourth as they loaded the bases and used an error to plate their runs. Oscar Gonzalez led off with a walk. With one out Andruw Monasterio and Connor Marabell had back-to-back singles to load the bases. Mike Rivera then hit a tapper in front of the plate that catcher Tomás Telis fielded and touched the plate for the out, but his throw to first glanced off of Rivera and went down the right field line as two runs scored making it 7-2.

Sammons finished off his night by getting a double play to end the fifth. He went 5.0 innings allowing two unearned runs on four hits while walking three and striking out four and earned his first career Triple-A win.

The Saints added to their lead in the seventh as Telis led off with a single to right and Contreras followed with a single to center putting runners at first and second. Celestino collected his second double of the night driving in Telis making it 8-2 Saints. Celestino finished the night 2-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. A sacrifice line out by Kerrigan gave the Saints a 9-2 lead.

The Saints used a couple of arms on Major League rehab to toss three of the final four innings. Luke Farrell pitched a scoreless sixth while walking one and Derek Law tossed 2.0 scoreless innings giving up two hits and walking two. Robinson Leyer finished it off by fanning two in a scoreless ninth.

The same two teams meet in game two of the six-game series on Thursday afternoon at 11:05 a.m. central. The Saints send RHP Chandler Shepherd (6-5, 5.56) against Clippers RHP Cody Morris (0-0, 1.76). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from September 1, 2021


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