Mud Hens fall 5-4 to Saints despite Leonard’s first home run

In a game filled with both highs and lows, the Mud Hens lost a closely contested 5-4 battle to the Saints, with Eddys Leonard's first home run of the season standing out as a highlight.

The series opener began at 8:07 PM in St. Paul, where the Mud Hens quickly seized the lead. Parker Meadows singled to second base and Jace Jung followed with a perfectly placed line drive to the right field corner for a double, bringing Meadows home for an early 1-0 advantage. Ty Madden was dominant on the mound, ending the first inning with three strikeouts.

The Mud Hens continued their strong start into the second inning. Leonard singled to center field, finding a gap. Justice Bigbie followed with a double to left field, moving Leonard to third. Meadows then smashed a line drive to the scoreboard, bringing in Leonard and Bigbie, putting the Mud Hens ahead by three runs. However, the Saints countered with a solo home run and a grand slam, dramatically swinging the score in their favor.

Hints of a storm loomed, with 15 mph winds aiding in the long hits. In the third inning, Ryan Vilade singled to right, but the Saints swiftly ended the Mud Hens' turn with a caught foul ball. The bottom of the third was tense, as the Saints loaded the bases, threatening another grand slam. Jung's impressive bare-handed snag at third and quick throw to first baseman Spencer Torkelson ended the inning, averting further damage.

The fourth inning saw no runs, hits, or errors. Bryce Tassin, having entered in the second, kept the Saints at bay with two consecutive strikeouts, finishing the inning with a grounder to Leonard at shortstop who threw to first. The fifth inning was a quick 1-2-3 for the Mud Hens, and Devin Sweet took over pitching for defense. Despite walking a few and loading the bases, Vilade's catch of a difficult pop fly in right field ended the Saints' scoring opportunity in the bottom of the fifth.

Amid concerns of a possible rain delay due to scattered thunderstorms, the game remained official. Leonard’s solo home run to the bullpen added another run for the Mud Hens. However, the rain came pouring down, leading to an Everdry rain delay and eventually ending the game with the Saints leading by one.

The Mud Hens aim for a comeback in their next game against the Saints, scheduled for 2:07 PM tomorrow in St. Paul.

Notables:

Meadows (2-3, 2RBI)

Leonard (2-3, HR, RBI)

Jung (1-3, RBI)