AA St. Paul Saints

Trip to the "Fun House" Ends in 10-9 Walk Off Loss

Published on June 2, 2011 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


AMARILLO, TX (June 2, 2011) - The St. Paul Saints will not look back at their time in Amarillo National Bank Sox Stadium fondly as they stormed back from a four run deficit in the ninth only to lose in the bottom of the inning 10-9 to the Amarillo Sox on Thursday night as they dropped their first series of the season.

With the Saints trailing 9-5 in the top of the ninth Richard Mercado led off with a walk. Jeff Howell doubled him home to make it 9-6. Jake Krause was then hit by a pitch and Adam Frost, who is hitting over .500 in his last nine games, doubled them both home to make it 9-8. Justin Snyder's fly out moved Frost to third and a sacrifice fly by Brandon Tripp scored Frost to tie the game at nine.

The problem, however, was the Sox had a chance to bat in the bottom of the ninth and once again the conditions came into play. With one out Benji Johnson hit a fly ball that was destined to be foul by about 30 feet down the right field line, but the wind, as it has all series long, pushed the ball into fair territory. When the ball hit the ground it caromed another 40 feet towards the infield and Johnson wound up with a triple. After intentional walks to load the bases, Jason White, the only Sox player without a hit on the evening up to that point, hit a fly ball over the drawn in outfield to drive home the winning run.

The Saints trailed early as the Sox put up four in the first and once again it was another bizarre play. Cyle Hankered hit a ground ball to third that took a bad hop on Ronnie Bourquin for an infield single. Lee Cruz singled to left-center to put runners at first at second. Van Pope then hit a fly ball to center that dropped in for a hit and took a trampoline hop over the head of Jonathan Van Every and rolled to the wall for an inside the park three-run homer. Benji Johnson followed with a solo homer to make it 4-0.

The Saints did come back as Bourquin hit a solo homer, his first of the season, to make it 4-1. Mercado walked, moved to second on a walk to Howell and Krause drove home the second run to make it 4-2.

The Saints made it 4-3 in the third on a bases loaded walk to Bourquin and the Saints would get no closer until the ninth.

Three big hitting streaks continued as Tripp extended his to 11, Frost, who went 3-5 falling a triple shy of the cycle, four RBI and two runs scored, to extend his hitting streak to nine and Jason Cooper went 2-5 to extend his hitting streak to eight.

The Saints now take their 13-game roatrip to Grand Prairie and Quick Trip Park for a three game series against the AirHogs. The Saints send LHP Donald Brandt (3-0, 2.67). The game can be heard live on Relevant Radio 1330.

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