Saints Fight Back Late, But Fall 11-8 To I-Cubs

ST. PAUL, MN (September 2, 2024) - The St. Paul Saints scored five runs over the final two innings, but it wasn’t enough as a seven-run second inning proved too much to overcome in an 11-8 loss to the Iowa Cubs on Monday evening at CHS Field in front of 6,008.

Owen Caissie led off the game for the I-Cubs by being hit by a pitch. With one out Mosies Ballesteros singled off the wall in right sending Caissie to third. Ballesteros then attempted to steal second, but Caleb Baragar threw over and Ballesteros was eventually tagged out in a rundown as Caissie came in from third to score and make it 1-0.

The Saints knotted the game in the bottom of the inning. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. led off with a rocket single off the glove of second baseman Chase Strumpf. Byron Buxton followed with a walk putting runners at first and second. Keirsey Jr. stole third and scored on an RBI fielder’s choice from Emmanuel Rodriguez tying the game at one.

Three long balls by the I-Cubs in the third gave them a big cushion. Hayden Cantrelle led off the inning with a single to left and that was followed by a walk to Caissie. Kevin Alcántara made it 4-1 with a three-run homer to left, his third of the season. After a pitching change, the I-Cubs went back-to-back with a solo home run to right by Moises Ballesteros, his 10^th of the season, increasing the lead to 5-1. With one out back-to-back singles by Strumpf and Brennan Davis put runners at first and second. With two outs Caleb Knight hit a three-run homer to left, his first of the night and third of the season, giving the I-Cubs an 8-1 lead.

The I-Cubs got their fourth home run of the game in the sixth. With one out Knight delivered a solo homer to right, his second of the game and fourth of the season, giving the I-Cubs a 9-1 lead. Cantrelle walked and scored on a double to left-center by Caissie making it 10-1.

Buxton got the inning started for the Saints in the sixth with a single to center. Buxton went 1-3 with a walk and a run scored. Rodriguez drew a walk putting runners at first and second. With one out Diego Castillo poked an RBI single down the right field line scoring Buxton and sending Rodriguez to third making it 10-2. Payton Eeles made it 10-3 with an RBI single to center.

The I-Cubs loaded the bases in the eighth when Matt Mervis walked, Knight singled and with two outs Alcántara reached on an infield single to short. A hit by pitch to Ballesteros gave the I-Cubs an 11-3 lead.

The Saints tried to make it interesting in the eighth. Yunior Severino led off with a double into the right field corner. With one out Eeles singled to center getting the Saints to within 11-4. With two outs Patrick Winkel singled to right putting runners at the corners. An infield single by Rylan Bannon plated Eeles making it 11-5.

In the ninth Jeferson Morales led off the inning with a single to right. With one out Severino blasted a two-run homer to left-center, his 20^th of the season one shy of tying the single-season franchise record, getting the Saints withing 11-7. Castillo followed with a walk and with two outs Carson McCusker tripled off the wall in right getting the Saints to within three at 11-8. With the tying run in the on deck single, however, Patrick Winkel grounded out to first ending the game.

The Saints are off on Tuesday and return to action on Wednesday night against the I-Cubs in game two of a six-game series at CHS Field at 6:37 p.m. The Saints are TBA and the I-Cubs send RHP Brandon Birdsell (3-4, 3.56) to the mound. 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.