Raya Impressive In Triple-A Debut, Williams Smashes Two Home Runs, But Saints Lose 8-6

ST. PAUL, MN (September 20, 2024) - If the last two nights are any indication, the St. Paul Saints starting rotation to start 2025 is in good hands. On Thursday night it was Cory Lewis earning a win in his Triple-A debut. On Friday night at CHS Field Marco Raya went 5.0 shutout innings in his Triple-A debut. He was backed by a two home run night from Chris Williams, but the Indianapolis Indians scored eight runs over the final four innings and the Saints lost 8-6 in front of 8,636.

Raya allowed one base runner in each of the first and second inning, but faced just four batters in each inning. He got his lone clean inning in the third retiring the nine, one, and two batters and ending the inning with a strikeout of Ji Hwan Bae.

The Saints got on the board in the third and Williams started it off with a leadoff infield single to short. With one out Payton Eeles singled to right-center sending Williams to third. Eeles then stole second and the throw down to second glanced off the glove of the second baseman Bae and trickled behind him allowing Williams to score giving the Saints a 1-0 lead. Austin Martin then dropped a single into right sending Eeles to third. After a steal of second by Martin, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. made it 2-0 with an RBI single into right.

Raya allowed back-to-back singles to start the fourth, but a fly out and a double play ground out ended the inning. He ended his night emphatically in the fifth starting and ending the inning with a strikeout. Raya went 5.0 shutout innings allowing five hits while striking out four.

Major League rehabber Justin Topa took over for Raya in the sixth and walked the first hitter Bae and then hit the next hitter, Dylan Shockley. With two outs Joshua Palacios hit a three-run homer to right, his fourth of the season, giving the Indians a 3-2 lead. Topa went 1.0 inning allowing three runs on one hit while walking one and striking out one.

Kody Funderburk made his fourth Major League rehab appearance in the seventh. With one out Tsung-Che Cheng doubled to left, moved to third on a single by Alika Williams, and scored on a fielder’s choice by Bae giving the Indians a 4-2 lead.

The Saints took the lead back in the seventh. With one out Jeferson Morales singled to right and that was followed by a two-run homer by Williams, his first of the night and 16^th of the season, tying the game at four. Rylan Bannon followed that with a double to right and he scored on a double to right by Eeles giving the Saints a 5-4 lead.

The Indians tied the game in the eighth. With one out an infield single to short by Malcom Nuñez was followed by a bunt single from Palacios putting runners at first and second. Funderburk struck out Matt Gorski and then came out of the game for Ryan Jensen. He walked Seth Beer loading the bases. A wild pitch by Jensen allowed the tying run to score. Funderburk went 1.2 innings allowing two runs on four hits while striking out three.

In the ninth, the Indians took the lead. With one out Bae singled to center and advanced to second on a fielding error by Keirsey Jr. in center. Shockley chopped an RBI single into left giving the Indians a 6-5 lead. Jack Suwinski followed with a two-run homer to left, his seventh of the season, increasing the lead to 8-5.

Williams capped off his big night with a solo homer to left-center in the ninth, his second of the night and 17^th of the season, getting the Saints to within 8-6. Williams finished the night 4-4, a triple shy of the cycle with two home runs, three RBI, and a run scored. With two outs Eeles walked bringing the tying run to the plate in Austin Martin. He lined out to second, however, ending the game.

The same two teams meet in game five of a six-game series at CHS Field at 5:07 p.m. The Saints send RHP Randy Dobnak (12-7, 3.90) to the mound against Indians RHP Luis Cessa (4-7, 4.73). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, MLB.TV, MiLB.TV, and the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.