Keirsey Jr. Sets Single-Season Hits Mark, Saints Comeback Falls Short In 8-7 Loss
ST. PAUL, MN (September 21, 2024) - DaShawn Keirsey Jr. is capping off the year with an incredible week in a season he won’t soon forget. He made his Major League debut, he’s been the most consistent hitter on the St. Paul Saints, and on Saturday night he etched his
ST. PAUL, MN (September 21, 2024) - DaShawn Keirsey Jr. is capping off the year with an incredible week in a season he won’t soon forget. He made his Major League debut, he’s been the most consistent hitter on the St. Paul Saints, and on Saturday night he etched his name in the record books atop the single-season hits board. The Saints dug themselves a seven run hole, tied the game, but fell 8-7 to the Indianapolis on Saturday night at CHS Field in front of 7,524.
Saints starter Randy Dobnak was the most consistent starter all season long, but in his final start of the season he wasn’t as sharp. Right out of the gate the Indians put up a crooked number. Ji Hwan Bae led off the game with a walk. With one out Joshua Palacios walked. Back-to-back RBI singles by Jack Suwinski and Malcom Nuñez gave the Indians a 2-0 lead. Jake Lamb increased the lead to 5-0 with a three-run homer to right, his seventh of the season.
Another long ball by the Indians gave them two more runs. With two outs in the second Alika Williams walked and that was followed by a two-run homer to right by Palacios, his fifth of the season, increasing the lead to 7-0.
The Saints came storming back in the bottom of the second with a five-run inning of their own. With two outs and nobody on Jair Camargo walked and Carson McCusker singled to left-center putting runners at first and second. Jeferson Morales then delivered a three-run homer to left, his first at Triple-A, cutting the deficit to 7-3. Following the long ball, Payton Eeles walked and came around to score on a double to right by Austin Martin making it 7-4. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. made it 7-5 with an RBI single to center.
After trailing by seven, the Saints tied it in the fourth. With Morales on at first after a fielder’s choice, Eeles ripped an RBI triple to left getting the Saints within 7-6. With two outs Keirsey Jr. made history with an RBI single to center tying the game at seven. The hit was the 133rd of the season, a new single-season franchise record (Triple-A). He finished the night 3-5 with a double and two RBI. Entering the final game of the season Keirsey Jr. has 81 RBI, the most in a single-season in franchise history, two ahead of Yunior Severino.
A leadoff triple to left-center by Andres Alvarez in the sixth for the Indians came around to score on a single to right-center by Bae making it 8-7.
The Saints best chance to tie, or take the lead, came in the eighth when Chris Williams and Camargo started the inning with back-to-back singles putting runners at first and second. Indians reliever Geronimo Franzua, however, struck out the next three batters to end the inning.
The same two teams meet in the final game of the season on Sunday afternoon at CHS Field at 12:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Caleb Bouhsley (9-5, 4.93) to the mound against Indians RHP Mike Burrows (0-1, 3.86). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, MLB.TV, MiLB.TV, and the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.