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AA St. Paul Saints

Switching Fate, Kvasnicka Enters Record Books with Three Homers in 10-9 Saints Win in 10

June 26, 2015 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


FARGO, ND (June 26, 2015) - There is one way to not have to run on a bad ankle: hit the ball over the fence. Switch hitter Mike Kvasnicka, bothered by an ankle injury, set a franchise record with 13 bases, tied a franchise record with three homers, two from the right side and one from the left, and helped the St. Paul Saints avoid disaster in a 10-9, 10 inning victory on Friday night against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks.

The Saints built up a 9-1 lead going into the sixth inning with the league's best pitcher on the mound, Dustin Crenshaw, but the RedHawks stormed back getting five in the sixth, one in the seventh and two in the eighth. They managed to get it to the 10th and that's when Kvasnicka worked his magic for the third time in the game. After homering twice from the right side earlier in the game he came up from the left side to lead off the inning and promptly hit a solo homer over the right-center field wall. The homer was a career high third and it tied a franchise record for most homers in a game done three other times by Saul Bustos (June 1, 1999 @ Madison), Jonathan Van Every (May 23, 2011 vs. Fort Worth) and Willie Cabrera (August 12, 2014 @ Winnipeg. All three of those feats were done in nine innings. Kvasnicka finished the night 4-5 with three homers, five RBI and three runs scored. He now has four homers on the year. The 13 total bases is a franchise record.

Kvasnicka began his incredible night in the second, hitting from the right side, when he tied the game at one with a solo homer to left.

The Saints blew the game open in the third with seven runs. Mitch Elliott gave the Saints a 2-1 lead with an RBI double. Elliott would later score on an error to make it 3-1. With the bases loaded Angelo Songco doubled home a pair to make it 5-1. Kvasnicka then drove one over the left field wall, his second homer of the night, a three-run shot, to make it 8-1.

For good measure Angelo Songco hit a solo homer in the fifth, his sixth of the season, to make it 9-1. Songco went 2-4 with a double, homer, three RBI and two runs scored. It looked like the Saints would cruise to victory.

With Crenshaw on the mound and a 1.62 ERA, the best in the league, the RedHawks found a way to battle back in the sixth. With two on and one out Joe Dunigan doubled home a run to make it 9-2. An error by Steve Nikorak at third loaded the bases which brought up Drew Muren. His fielder's choice scored a run and another run scored on the play when Dan Kaczrowski's throw to first went passed Ian Gac to make it 9-4. Frazier Hall made it 9-6 with a two-run homer, his first in his first game with his new team. Crenshaw would face one more batter before departing. He went 5.2 innings allowing six runs (three earned) on 11 hits while striking out two.

In the seventh the RedHawks made it 9-7 when Chad Mozingo doubled off of Drew Gay and Dunnigan drove him home with a single off of Alex Sogard.

In the eighth the RedHawks completed the comeback on a Charlie Valerio sacrifice fly and an RBI double by Mozingo.

Ryan Rodebaugh earned the win for the Saints with 2.0 perfect innings of relief striking out two.

The same two teams meet Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m. The Saints send LHP Kramer Sneed (5-1, 2.26) to the mound against RedHawks LHP Brandon Mann (1-2, 4.73). The game can be heard on Club 1220 KLBB.

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