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IL St. Paul Saints

Sanchez Pitches a Gem, Offense Comes Through Late in 12-5 Win in 10 over I-Cubs

June 2, 2022 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


DES MOINES, IA - The St. Paul Saints needed length from their starting pitcher. Mario Sanchez delivered. He set a career high by going 7.2 innings and the Saints scored 10 runs over the ninth and 10th innings to take down the Iowa Cubs 12-5 in 10 innings on Thursday afternoon at Principal Park. The Saints have now won six of their last eight.

For the first time in the series the Saints scored first. In the second inning Curtis Terry led off with a single between short and third. Tim Beckham followed with a two-run home run to left, his first of the season, putting the Saints up 2-0.

The I-Cubs answered in the bottom of the second with a long ball of their own. With two outs Narciso Crook walked and Greg Deichmann followed with a two-run homer to right, his third of the season, knotting the game at two.

It was the lone mistake made by Sanchez. He allowed a two out double in the fourth, a leadoff single in the sixth that was erased on a caught stealing, and a two-out triple in the seventh that Jake Cave appeared to have trouble seeing in the sun. Outside of that, Sanchez allowed nothing else. He finished up his day by retiring the first two batters of the eighth inning. It was the first time a Saints pitcher had worked into the seventh, let alone the eighth, this season. He went a career high 7.2 innings allowing two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out two. He became just the second pitcher in franchise history to throw 100 pitches, throwing 103, 70 for strikes. Andrew Albers threw 104 and 100 last season. No pitcher had thrown more than 88 this season.

The Saints snagged the lead in the top of the ninth as Cave led off with an infield single off the pitcher Cayne Ueckert's glove. Cave was 2-4 with a double, and a run scored tying the franchise record with a 14-game hitting streak. Curtis Terry hit a grounder to third, but Carlos Sepulveda's throw to second was late and the Saints had runners at first and second. A passed ball moved the runners up and a one out walk loaded the bases. Cole Sturgeon's two-run single scored Cave and the pinch runner Soto to put the Saints up 4-2.

The Saints handed it back in to bottom of the ninth as Jordan Gore hit Jared Young with one out. A walk to David Bote put runners at first and second. Nelson Velazquez' single to left-center scored Young making it 4-3. A double steal put runners at second and third. Gore walked Narciso Crook to load the bases and it was the last batter he faced. Austin Schulfer came on in relief and fanned Greg Deichmann looking on a 3-2 pitch. Trent Giambrone, however, walked on four pitches to force in the tying run. Schulfer was able to send it to extras when he got Tyler Payne to ground out.

The Saints exploded for their highest scoring inning of the season in the 10th. With Roy Morales on at second as the placed runner, Alex Kirilloff doubled him home to make it 5-4. With one out, Cave was walked intentionally. Soto walked to load the bases. Beckham made it 6-4 with a bloop single to left field. A bases loaded walk to Michael Helman gave the Saints a 7-4 lead. Sturgeon then hit a ground ball to second, but Giambrone's throw home was wide and went to the backstop allowing Soto to score making it 8-4. With two outs, Morales drilled a grand slam to center, his first home run of the season, first career grand slam, and just the ninth career home run in 411 games, that put the game out of reach at 12-4.

The I-Cubs got a run in the bottom of the inning from Young, but Schulfer finished it off with a strikeout of Velazquez.

The same two teams meet in game four of a six-game series on Friday night at 7:08 p.m. at Principal Park. The Saints send RHP Ronny Henriquez (0-2, 7.66) to the mound and the I-Cubs are TBA. The game can be seen on MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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