Worth the Wait, Saints Club Three Home Runs, Pitchers Fan 13 In 8-1 Opening Night Win

ST. PAUL, MN (March 30, 2024) - The St. Paul Saints home opener was moved from Friday to Saturday. Then, the Saturday game time was pushed back three hours to allow the field additional time to dry from the recent winter storm. None of that seemed to bother the Saints as the bottom of their order accounted for seven RBI, the lineup clubbed three home runs, and the arms struck out 13 while allowing just three hits in an 8-1 victory over the Columbus Clippers on Saturday night at CHS Field in front 4,052.

The Saints got on the board in the second by way of their first long ball. Yunior Severino and Anthony Prato led off the inning with walks. With two outs, number seven hitter Alex Isola, in his first Triple-A at bat, hit the second pitch he saw over the left-center field wall, his first of the season, giving the Saints a 3-0 lead.

Saints starter David Festa showcased some overpowering stuff over his 3.0 innings of work. Despite a leadoff single to start the game, and a couple of first inning walks, Festa settled down. He tossed 3.0 scoreless innings allowing one hit while walking three and fanning four.

In the fourth the Saints used another three-run homer to increase their lead. With one out Isola walked, Chris Williams singled him to third and that brought up the number nine hitter, Yoyner Fajardo. He drilled a three-run homer to right-center, his first of the season, making it 6-0. Fajardo went 2-4 with a home run, three RBI, and a run scored.

The bottom of the order continued to shine adding to the lead in the fifth. With two outs Prato walked and scored on double from the number six hitter, DaShawn Keirsey Jr., increasing the lead to 7-0.

Randy Dobnak, who was scheduled to start the opener on Friday before it was canceled, came on in relief of Festa and was perfect through the first 10 men he faced. The only blip on his ledger came in the seventh when he gave up his first hit, a one out double down the third base line to Jhonkensy Noel. With two outs Daniel Schneeman doubled off the base of the wall in center getting the Clippers on the board and making it 7-1. Dobnak went 4.0 innings allowing one run on two hits while striking out six.

Jose Miranda showed off the power Saints fans became familiar with in 2021. He doubled off the wall in right in his second at bat and then in the seventh he clubbed a solo homer to left, his first of the season, to put an exclamation point on the Saints offensive night with an 8-1 lead.

Jordan Balazovic pitched a perfect eighth with two strikeouts and Scott Blewett pitched a perfect ninth with a strikeout.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the two-game series on Sunday afternoon at 2:07 p.m. at CHS Field. The Saints send LHP Brent Headrick (NR) to the mound against Clippers RHP Connor Gillispie (NR). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, MLB.TV (subscription), and the Bally Live app (free), and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.