VARLAND DEALS, BUT SAINTS COME UP JUST SHORT IN 3-2 LOSS

LOUISVILLE, KY (July 11, 2024) — The St. Paul Saints were locked in a pitcher’s duel on Thursday night in Louisville, scoring the game’s first run in the seventh inning. However, the Bats came from behind for a second consecutive night to beat the Saints 3-2 in front of a crowd of 7,024 at Louisville Slugger Field.

Varland was dealing to start the game, allowing three baserunners over the first four innings. Blake Dunne reached on an infield single in the first inning, Jacob Hurtubise walked in the third and Connor Capel drew a free pass in the fourth.

The Louisville starter Justus Sheffield retired the first 11 Saints’ batters of the game before issuing a two-out walk to Yunior Severino in the fourth inning.

The Saints would get the leadoff man aboard in the fifth inning as Chris Williams drew a walk, but was erased on a fielder’s choice hit by Payton Eeles. Sheffield would get out of the frame with an inning-ending double play.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Bats were on the verge of scoring the game’s first run. With two outs, Erick Gonzalez was hit by a pitch. Jacob Hurtubise hit a single to center field and Gonzalez went first to third on the play. Keirsey Jr.’s throw to third just went past Diego A. Castillo and Gonzalez broke for home, but Varland was backing up the play and threw Gonzalez out at the plate to keep the game tied at zero apiece.

Varland retired the first two batters of the sixth before issuing a two-out walk to his final batter. Ryan Jensen came in to close out the frame, striking out Connor Capel. Varland finished the night with 5.2 innings of shutout baseball, continuing a career scoreless streak of 20.0 innings against the Louisville Bats.

The Saints got their first hit in the seventh inning, a Yunior Severino triple to the right field corner. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Severino and give the Saints a 1-0 lead.

In the last of the seventh, the Bats responded with a pair of walks to open the inning. After Livan Soto struck out, Gonzalez hit a double to right-center field, scoring two and giving the Bats a 2-1 lead. Ronny Henriquez then took over, walking Hurtubise before getting his next two batters out.

The Bats scored a valuable insurance run in the eighth, as Levi Jordan singled off Jeff Brigham to start the inning. Jordan then swiped second base as Brigham struck out his next two hitters. PJ Higgins followed with a two-out single to right field to score the run, making it 3-1 Louisville.

The Saints gave themselves a chance in the ninth, as Anthony Prato and Edouard Julien drew back-to-back walks, putting the tying runs on base. Wynton Bernard came up with his first Saints hit on a ground ball through the left side to score Prato, getting the Saints within a run at 3-2. The hit would also extend Bernard’s hit streak to 15 consecutive games, dating back to his time in Charlotte. Severino hit a line drive to right field that Tony Kemp caught on a dive, but advanced Julien to third with one out. Then, Keirsey Jr. hit a ground ball just past the pitcher Tony Santillan that Soto fielded at second base and threw to first to complete the game-ending double play.

The Saints and Bats will meet in game four of the six-game series on Friday evening at 6:15 CT at Louisville Slugger Field. The Saints will send RHP David Festa (3-2, 3.77) to the mound against Bats RHP Julian Aguilar (1-0, 3.00). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.