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IL St. Paul Saints

The Gentleman of Verona, (NJ): Festa Steals the Show, Saints Cruise to 6-1 Win Over Clippers

August 30, 2023 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - Two guys expected to help the Minnesota Twins down the stretch were in the St. Paul Saints lineup on Major League rehab Wednesday night at CHS Field. Byron Buxton was playing his first game in centerfield in more than a year. Alex Kirilloff and his electric left-handed swing joined him in the lineup. It was a 23-year-old kid out of Verona, New Jersey, however, that wowed in his Triple-A debut. The number four prospect in the Twins organization, David Festa, went 5.0 strong innings as the Saints rolled to a 6-1 victory over the Columbus Clippers. The Saints improved to 31-22 in the second half.

After a one out walk in the first, Festa electrified the crowd by fanning the next two hitters to end the first.

Festa gave up back-to-back singles in the second before retiring the next three hitters.

The Saints utilized four hits in the bottom of the second inning to plate three runs and jump out to an early lead. With one out back-to-back singles by Kyle Garlick and Anthony Prato put runners at first and second. Jair Camargo made it 1-0 with an RBI single to left. After a passed ball moved the runners up to second and third, Andrew Stevenson extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a two-run single into center making it 3-0.

In the third, the Clippers got their lone run on a solo homer from Major League rehabber David Fry, his fourth, cutting the Saints lead to 3-1. It was the lone mistake Festa made, after giving up a double following the home run, he retired the final seven batters he faced. Festa went 5.0 innings allowing one run on four hits while walking one and striking out seven.

In the fourth, the Saints added two more runs taking a four-run lead. Garlick led off with a walk, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on a Camargo single increasing the lead to 4-1. Camargo finished the night 2-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Stevenson singled and Buxton walked loading the bases. Kirilloff made it 5-1 with an RBI single into right. Kirilloff finished the night 1-5 with an RBI. Buxton played seven innings and went 1-2 with two walks and had two balls hit in his direction, a fly out and a double he played off the wall.

The Saints added to the lead in the fifth as Austin Martin led off with a single to left, moved to third on a ground rule double by Brooks Lee, and scored on a one out single from Prato making it 6-1.

The bullpen did the rest as Ronny Henriquez went 3.0 hitless, scoreless innings of relief while walking two and striking out three. Brent Headrick pitched a scoreless ninth giving up one hit and striking out two.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series at CHS Field on Thursday night at 7:07 p.m. The Saint are TBA and the Clippers send RHP Zach Plesac (5-4, 5.97) to the mound. The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, the Bally Live app (free), and MiLB.TV (subscription), and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from August 30, 2023


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