Saints Fall Short In Pitcher's Duel, 3-2 To Mets In 10 Innings
ST. PAUL, MN (June 7, 2024) - Whenever David Festa takes the mound the St. Paul Saints are fairly confident they are getting a high-quality start. The number five prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization has been stellar this season in his first full year at Triple-A. He was opposed
ST. PAUL, MN (June 7, 2024) - Whenever David Festa takes the mound the St. Paul Saints are fairly confident they are getting a high-quality start. The number five prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization has been stellar this season in his first full year at Triple-A. He was opposed by former Top 30 prospect of the New York Mets, José Buttó. What ensued was a game where runs were tough to come by and in the end the Saints fell one short, 3-2 in 10 innings to the Syracuse Mets on Friday night at CHS Field in front of a season-high 9,081.
Festa gave up a Luisangel Acuña leadoff triple to start the game, but then proceeded to strike out the next three hitters leaving Acuña stranded.
Tony Kemp may not be known for the longball, entering the season with just 25 home runs in the Minors in nearly 2200 at bats, but of late he has shown some pop. He got the Saints on the board in the second. After a Michael Helman infield single to short, Kemp drilled a two-run homer to right, his second in as many games and fifth of the season, giving the Saints a 2-0 lead.
The Mets knotted the game in the top of the third. Hayden Senger led off with a double to right. Acuña knocked him home with a single to right cutting the Saints lead in half, 2-1. Acuña moved to second on a groundout, stole third, and scored on a Luke Ritter groundout tying the game at two. Festa went 5.0 innings allowing two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out six.
The Saints had an opportunity to take the lead in the fourth when they loaded the bases against Buttó with one out. Kemp and Yunior Severino singled and Alex Isola walked. Buttó would get Patrick Winkel on strikes and Anthony Prato to bounce back to the mound ending the inning. Buttó went 6.0 innings allowing two runs on five hits while walking four and striking out six.
Ronny Henriquez was incredible out of the bullpen for the Saints. After giving up a leadoff double in the sixth to Ritter, Henriquez retired the next nine hitters he faced going 3.0 shutout innings allowing one hit and fanning three.
The Mets scored the eventual winning run in the 10th. With one out Senger doubled home the placed runner Carlos Cortes making it 3-2.
The Saints had an opportunity in the bottom of the inning. With one out Matt Wallner extended his hitting streak to six games with a single to right moving the placed runner, Edouard Julien, to third. Eric Orze, however, would strike out Helman and Kemp to end the game.
The same two teams meet in game five of a six-game series at CHS Field on Saturday night at 6:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Randy Dobnak (4-4, 4.67) to the mound against Mets LHP Joey Lucchesi (3-2, 4.00). 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.