Saints Build Lead, Hang On To Snap Six-Game Losing Streak In 8-6 Victory

TOLEDO, OH (July 19, 2024) - If there was one team that needed the All-Star break in the worst way it was the St. Paul Saints. They dropped all six games in Louisville right before the break and took the much needed four days off. They came back on Friday night at Fifth Third Field feeling revitalized and built a six-run lead, but needed to hang on for an 8-6 victory over the Toledo Mud Hens. The win snapped a six-game losing streak and a seven-game road losing streak.

In the third, the Mud Hens grabbed a 1-0 lead. With one out Akil Baddoo walked. He stole second and, with two outs, Jace Jung lined an RBI single into right.

Chris Williams knotted the game at one in the fourth with a solo homer to left, his 11^th of the season, and 42^nd in his Saints career, one shy of tying the franchise record of 43 held by Mark Contreras.

Another two out RBI hit plated a run for the Mud Hens. Bligh Madris led off the fourth inning with a single to right. He moved to second on a groundout and scored on a two-out single to left-center from Justice Bigbie giving the Mud Hens a 2-1 lead.

The Saints reeled off seven unanswered run and grabbed the lead in the fifth. Payton Eeles led off the inning with a solo homer to right, his second of the season, tying the game at two. Dalton Shuffield followed with a single to center. Shuffield stole second and, with one out, Rylan Bannon walked. With two outs Williams squirted a single to the right side off the glove of a diving Andrew Navigato. The ball caromed off his glove into shallow right as Shuffield scored giving the Saints a 3-2 lead.

The Saints extended their lead with a five-run sixth inning. The first four hitters reached as they loaded the bases on an Anthony Prato single to left-center, a fielding error by Jace Jung at third on a ball hit by Alex Isola, and a bunt single from Eeles. Eeles finished 2-4 with a home run, RBI, and two runs scored. Shuffield made it 5-2 with a two-run single to right-center. He finished the night 2-4 with two RBI, and two runs scored. With runners at the corners, Shuffield stole second on a strikeout of DaShawn Keirsey Jr. Bannon dropped a bloop single behind a drawn in infield scoring a pair making it 7-2. On a run and hit, Yunior Severino sent a single through the vacated hole on the right side and Bannon took third. Williams’ sacrifice fly made it 8-2. Williams went 3-4 with a home run, three RBI, and a run scored.

Brock Stewart, in his third Major League rehab appearance for the Saints, pitched a scoreless sixth inning. He fanned Madris looking before giving up a single to Andrew Navigato. Ryan Kreidler grounded out and Bigbie struck out.

In the seventh, the Mud Hens grabbed a couple back. With one out Baddoo doubled off the wall in right and Spencer Torkelson walked. Jung singled to right scoring Baddoo and the right fielder Shuffield’s throw to third skipped past Prato allowing Jung to score cutting the Saints lead to 8-4.

The belts tightened a little more for the Saints in the eighth. With one out Josh Winder walked Ryan Kreidler. He stole second and took third on a throwing error by the catcher Williams. With two outs Riley Unroe doubled Kreidler home cutting the Saints lead to 8-5. Baddoo followed with an RBI single to right-center making it 8-6. After a walk to Torkelson, the Saints made a pitching change and brought in Jeff Brigham. He walked the first batter he faced to load the bases, but got out of the inning when Dillon Dingler hit a sharp ground ball to third that was snagged by Anthony Prato who got the force out at second to end the inning.

Brigham picked up just his seventh career save when he struck out the side in the ninth.

The same two teams meet in game two of a three-game series on Saturday evening at Fifth Third Field at 6:05 p.m. (CT). The Saints send RHP Adam Plutko (3-1, 4.57) to the mound and the Mud Hens are TBA. The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.