Dobnak Deals, Lee Homers, Saints Win 5-2 Over Stripers
ST. PAUL, MN (July 2, 2024) - Since tinkering with his sinker in a bullpen session after his June 8 start, Randy Dobnak has looked like the pitcher from 2019. He continues his upward trajectory on Tuesday night against the Gwinnet Stripers. On the day Brooks Lee found out he
ST. PAUL, MN (July 2, 2024) - Since tinkering with his sinker in a bullpen session after his June 8 start, Randy Dobnak has looked like the pitcher from 2019. He continues his upward trajectory on Tuesday night against the Gwinnet Stripers. On the day Brooks Lee found out he was heading to the Futures Game, his home run proved to be the difference in a 5-2 Saints victory at CHS Field in front of 6,012.
Dobnak got into a mini jam in the first when he gave up back-to-back two-out singles, but retired J.P. Martinez on a groundout to end the inning.
The offense exploded for the Saints in the second and it started with free passes and ended with a big fly. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Diego Castillo led off the inning with walks. Patrick Winkel’s fly ball double into left field scored both runners giving the Saints a 2-0 lead. Alex Isola then walked putting runners at first and second. With two outs Brooks Lee clobbered a 3-2 pitch over the right field wall, his seventh of the season, making it 5-0.
The Stripers got one back in the third when Andrew Velazquez lined a single off pitcher Randy Dobnak, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a two-out infield single by Chadwick Tromp cutting the Saints lead to 5-1. That was the lone run Dobnak allowed going 5.0 innings allowing one run on five hits while walking one and striking out two.
Ronny Henriquez took over for Dobnak and made one mistake. That came in the sixth when the Stripers cut the Saints lead to 5-2 in the sixth on a solo homer from Chadwick Tromp, his third of the season. Henriquez would follow that up by giving up a single, but retired the next six, five on strikeouts.
Despite two walks in the eighth, Jeff Brigham pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
In the ninth, Nick Wittgren gave up back-to-back singles to start the inning, but struck out Andrew Velazquez and then got the Atlanta Braves number eight prospect, Nacho Alvarez Jr. to ground into a game ending double play.
The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series at CHS Field on Wednesday night at 6:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Caleb Boushley (8-2, 3.48) to the mound against Stripers RHP Darius Vines (0-3, 5.43). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, MLB.TV, MiLB.TV, and the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.