Saints Doubled-Up By Bats 8-4

ST. PAUL, MN (May 2, 2024) - The St. Paul Saints had yet another chance to win back-to-back games for the first time since April 5 and 6 in Nashville. They took a 2-0 lead into the fifth, but couldn’t make it stand up losing 8-4 to the Louisville Bats on Thursday night at CHS Field in front of 4,432. The loss drops the Saints to 11-17.

The Saints utilized the wildness from starter Connor Phillips to get on the board in the first. Austin Martin led off the inning with a single to center. With one out back-to-back hit by pitches to Michael Helman and Matt Wallner loaded the bases. The Saints grabbed a 1-0 lead on an Alex Isola sacrifice fly.

DaShawn Keirsey Jr. made it 2-0 Saints in the third with a solo homer to right-center, his fourth of the season.

Caleb Boushley, who was optioned back to the Saints before the game, was cruising allowing just one runner as far as second base through the first four innings. He looked like he would get through five, but with one out Erik González reached on an infield single to second. With two outs Rece Hinds golfed a two-run homer to left-center, his fourth of the season, tying the game at two. It was the first earned runs Boushley allowed in his last three starts. That home run chased Boushley from the game who went 4.2 innings allowing just two runs on five hits while walking one. Michael Boyle came out of the bullpen and gave up three straight hits: a bunt single to Livan Soto and back-to-back RBI doubles from P.J. Higgins and Edwin Rios giving the Bats a 4-2 lead.

The Saints wasted little time tying the game back up. In the bottom of the fifth Martin led off the inning with a walk. He stole second and scored on an RBI single from Keirsey Jr. getting the Saints to within 4-3. Keirsey Jr. went 2-5 with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored. After a double play, Matt Wallner tied the game at four with a solo homer to left, his second of the season.

An error proved costly for the Saints in the sixth. Austin Wynns led off by reaching on a throwing error from Helman at short. Hernán Pérez then drew a walk putting runners at first and second. With one out, Major League rehabber TJ Friedl walked to load the bases. Hinds then sent one back up the middle scoring a pair to give the Bats a 6-4 lead.

González gave the Bats a 7-4 lead with a solo home run to left in the eighth, his first of the season.

Rios added an insurance run in the ninth with a solo homer to left, his third of the season, making it 8-4.

The same two teams meet in game four of a six-game series at CHS Field on Friday night at 6:37 p.m. The Saints send RHP Louie Varland (0-0, 1.80) to the mound against Bats RHP Brett Kennedy (1-2, 6.39). 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.