AA St. Paul Saints

Spotty Game, Saints Drop Battle of First Place Teams 11-3 to Explorers

Published on June 26, 2018 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - When you play the team with the best record in the league you need to be at full strength. The St. Paul Saints were scheduled to start the fifth best pitcher in the league, Eddie Medina, but he was scratched about two hours before game time. The Saints turned to an already tired bullpen for a spot start as Ryan Boelter made his first professional start and the Sioux City Explorers jumped on him. The Saints lost 11-3 on Monday night in front of 7,532 at CHS Field. The loss drops the Saints to 20-16 on the season.

The Explorers, one of the fastest teams in the league, proved so right off the bat as Luis Durango and Michael Lang started the game with back-to-back bunt singles. With one out the league leader in RBI, Nate Samson, hit a three-run homer, his third of the season, making it 3-0 Explorers.

In the third the Explorers put up four more as Lang walked and Jay Austin followed with a single. With two outs Jose Sermo doubled home two making it 5-0. Jay Baum followed with a two-run homer, his third of the season, making it 7-0. Boelter went 3.0+ innings allowing eight runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out two.

With the Saints trailing 9-0 in the fifth they finally got on the board. With two outs Justin O'Conner walked and Luke Pettersen singled him to second. Kes Carter came through with an RBI single to center making it 9-1.

The only Saints pitcher to put up a scoreless appearance was Ken Frosch, who tossed a perfect seventh and has now begun the season with 17.2 consecutive scoreless innings.

The Saints bullpen was so depleted that infielder JJ Gould pitched the final 2.0 innings. He pitched a hitless eighth, but in the ninth he walked back-to-back hitters with two outs. An RBI double by Baum and an RBI single by Dexture McCall made it 11-1. Gould went 2.0 innings allowing two runs on two hits while walking two.

The Saints added two in the ninth when Noah Perio Jr. led off with a double to left. Dante Bichette Jr. singled him to third and Richard Prigatano's RBI single made it 11-2. An RBI groundout by Aaron Gretz pushed across the Saints third run.

The same two teams meet in game two of the three game series on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints are TBA and the Explorers send RHP Taylor Jordan (5-1, 3.68). It is Technicians Night presented by FVP. The Saints will also play as the St. Paul Raccoons with the first 1,500 fans receiving raccoon masks. The game can be seen on the Saints Cable Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, and heard on Alt 93.3 FM.

Check out the St. Paul Saints Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Association Stories from June 26, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central