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IL St. Paul Saints

Varland Dazzles, But Two Late Long Balls Hurt Saints in 3-1 Loss

July 23, 2024 - International League (IL)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - In order to beat the team with the best record in all of Minor League Baseball, a team has to play nearly flawless. For seven innings, the St. Paul Saints did just that against the Omaha Storm Chasers. Louie Varland silenced the fourth highest scoring team in the league for six innings, but two big swings late were enough to send the Saints to a 3-1 loss on Tuesday night at CHS Field in front of 8,054.

Alex Isola led off the second inning with a double off the base of the wall in left, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a two-out single to center by DaShawn Keirsey Jr. giving the Saints a 1-0 lead.

Varland, meanwhile, retired the first seven men he faced and didn't give up a hit until a two-out infield single in the fourth. He allowed one more baserunner, a two-out single to right-center in the fifth. Varland went 6.0 shutout innings allowing two hits while walking one and striking out seven. Varland has allowed just two runs in his last 19.1 innings.

The Saints offense couldn't do much after their second inning run. From the third through the eighth they managed a leadoff single by Payton Eeles in the fifth, but he was left stranded at third, and a two-out walk to Eeles in the seventh, but he got picked off to end the inning.

The Storm Chasers finally broke through in the eighth courtesy of a pinch-hit solo home run by Brian O'Keefe, his 13th of the season, off reliever Josh Winder tying the game at one.

Jeff Brigham, who had allowed just one run in his last 9.0 innings, took over in the ninth for the Saints. With one out Nelson Velazquez walked. With two outs Cam Devanney hit a two-run homer to left-center, his 16th of the season, giving the Storm Chasers a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth the Saints had their chance to tie or win it. Rylan Bannon led off by reaching on a throwing error from the third baseman CJ Alexander. With one out Chris Williams was hit by a pitch. With two outs Isola loaded the bases on an infield single to short. The Storm Chasers went to their bullpen for left-hander Evan Sisk to face the lefty Eeles. Eeles drew the count full, but grounded out to first ending the game.

The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series on Wednesday afternoon at 1:07 p.m. at CHS Field. The Saints send RHP David Festa (3-3, 4.03) to the mound against Storm Chasers LHP Anthony Veneziano (3-3, 4.31). The game can be seen on the CW Network, MLB.TV, MiLB.TV, and the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.

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International League Stories from July 23, 2024


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