Saints Troubles With Mud Hens Continue In 7-3 Loss

ST. PAUL, MN (July 15, 2022) - Aaron Sanchez looked like he had figure out how to silence the Toledo Mud Hens. He retired the first 11 hitters he faced and carried a no-hitter into the fifth. Unfortunately, two-out trouble in the sixth knocked him out as the Saints lost 7-3 on Friday night at CHS Field in front of 7,527. The Saints are now 3-7 this season against the Mud Hens and 5-16 all-time.

With the game scoreless in the bottom of the fourth, the Saints got on the board. Jake Cave led off the inning with a double down the left field line. With two outs, Jermaine Palacios smoked a double to center scoring Cave putting the Saints up 1-0.

Meanwhile, Sanchez was dominating the Mud Hens hitters. He retired the first 11 hitters he faced before hitting Daz Cameron with two outs in the fourth. Cameron swiped second and moved to third on the throwing error by catcher José Godoy, but Sanchez got Josh Lester to ground out to end the inning.

In the fifth, however, the Mud Hens finally got on the board courtesy of a solo homer from Kerry Carpenter, his third of the season, tying the game at one.

The Mud Hens jumped on Sanchez in the sixth plating three runs with two outs. Chris Rabago led off the inning with a single to right, but Sanchez retired the next two hitters. After that, however, three straight RBI base hits chased Sanchez as Cameron doubled in a run, Lester singled home Cameron, and Jamie Westbrook doubled home Lester putting the Mud Hens up 4-1. Sanchez went 5.2 innings allowing four runs on five hits while striking out four.

In the eighth, the Mud Hens added to their lead as Kody Clemens started with a one out single to right-center. Cameron followed with a single, putting runners at the corners. An RBI ground out by Lester made it 5-1 and that was followed by an RBI double from Westbrook putting the Mud Hens up 6-1.

Zach Short led off the ninth inning with a solo homer for the Mud Hens, his ninth of the season, making it 7-1.

The Saints made a little noise in the ninth as Cave led off with a double, his second of the game. With two outs Palacios knocked home gave with an RBI double. He finished the night 2-4 with two doubles and two RBI. Curtis Terry got the Saints a run closer with an RBI single, but José Godoy flew out to end the game.

Miguel Sanó went 0-4 in his fourth Major League rehab game with the Saints.

The same two teams meet in game five of the six-game series at 7:07 p.m. at CHS Field. The Saints send RHP Mario Sanchez (4-3, 3.24) to the mound against Mud Hens RHP Bryan Garcia (1-1, 2.86). The game can be seen on FOX9 Plus and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.