Saints Drop Sixth Straight, Fall 6-4 To Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (August 15, 2024) - It wasn’t for lack of opportunities, but the St. Paul Saints couldn’t come up with the big hit as they went 2-12 with runners in scoring position. They also fanned a season-tying high 16 times, including 10 consecutive outs at one point, falling 6-4 to the Indianapolis Indians on Thursday night at Victory Field.

The Indians started the first inning with three straight hits that produced a run. Alika Williams led off the inning with a double to left. He moved to third on a single by Henry Davis and scored on a single from Nick Yorke making it 1-0.

Diego Castillo, hitting in the fourth spot in the order for the first time since 2022, took the second pitch of the second inning and clubbed it over the left field wall, his sixth of the season, tying the game at one. Jair Camargo followed with a walk, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Wynton Bernard giving the Saints a 2-1 lead.

The first four batters all reached with base hits for the Indians in the third. Davis led off with a single to right and Yorke followed with a single to right putting runners at first and second. With the runners going, Liover Peguero singled to left-center scoring both runners giving the Indians a 3-2 lead as Peguero was thrown out trying to take second. With Billy Cook at first after a fielder’s choice, he stole second and scored, increasing the lead to 4-2.

DaShawn Keirsey Jr. led off the fifth inning for the Saints with a double to left and with one out he scored on a double to left-center by Yunior Severino cutting the deficit to 4-3.

In the bottom of the inning the Indians got the run back when Peguero doubled to left with one out. He stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly from Malcom Nuñez giving the Indians a 5-3 lead.

That’s when the strikeouts started for the Saints. The last out of the fifth was recorded by a strikeout and Wynton Bernard led off the sixth with a walk. He would steal second and third, but the final three hitters of the inning struck out.

In the seventh, Keirsey Jr. led off by being hit by a pitch and Michael Helman doubled him to third. The next three hitters, however, all struck out making it seven consecutive outs by way of the strikeout.

In the eighth, former Saints pitcher Connor Sadzeck struck out the side capping off 10 consecutive outs by way of the strikeout.

The Indians added an insurance run in the eighth when Williams singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a on out double by Yorke, doubling up the Saints at 6-3.

The Saints brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth. With Keirsey Jr. at first and one out, Helman singled to right-center as Keirsey Jr. took third. A deep sacrifice fly by Severino scored Keirsey Jr. got the Saints to within two at 6-4. Castillo couldn’t duplicate his first inning magic flying out to right ending the game.

The same two teams meet in game four of a six-game series on Friday night at Victory Field at 6:05 p.m. (CT). The Saints send RHP Caleb Boushley (9-5, 4.92) to the mound against Indians RHP Bubba Chandler (1-0, 0.00). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.