Saints Score Six In Final Three Innings, But Comeback Falls Short In 11-8 Loss

ST. PAUL, MN (August 10, 2024) - It was a bad night for an opposing hitter to have a career game against the St. Paul Saints. Estevan Florial hit three home runs and drove in seven for the Columbus Clippers, but the Saints still had an opportunity as they scored six runs over the final three innings and sent the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning. Unfortunately, they couldn’t complete the comeback falling 11-8 on Saturday evening at CHS Field in front of 7,731.

Three batters into the game and the Clippers took a 1-0 lead courtesy of a solo homer to left-center by Kyle Manzardo, his 16^th of the season.

A second home run put the Clippers up 3-0. Gabriel Arias led off the second with a single to right and that was followed by a two-run homer to right-center by Florial, his first of the night and second of the season.

The Clippers doubled their lead in the third with help from Florial. Juan Brito led off with a double to left. With two outs Arias’ triple to right-center scored Brito increasing the Clippers lead to 4-0. Florial added his second homer of the game, a two-run shot to right-center, his third of the season, making it 6-0.

In the fourth, the Saints got on the board. Diego Castillo led off with a single to center. With one out Jair Camargo walked putting runners at first and second. With two outs back-to-back RBI singles by Wynton Bernard and Patrick Winkel made it 6-2.

Florial continued his torrid night in the seventh. With one out Manzardo singled. With two outs Arias reached on a two base throwing error by Castillo at third. That brought up Florial who drilled his third home run of the game, a three-run blast to right-center his fourth of the season, increasing the lead to 9-2.

Payton Eeles grabbed a run for the Saints in the bottom of the seventh by hustling around the bases. With two outs he ripped a double into left, stole third, and scored on a wild pitch making it 9-3.

The Clippers continued their offensive onslaught in the eighth. With one out Christian Cairo was hit by a pitch. With two outs Brito walked. Back-to-back RBI singles from Manzardo and George Valera increased the Clippers lead to 11-3.

Things got interesting in the eighth as the Saints sent eight men to the plate and scored four runs. Castillo led off with a single to left-center and that was followed by a DaShawn Keirsey single to left-center putting runners at first and second. After a pitching change, Camargo ripped an RBI double to left getting the Saints to within 11-4. Michael Helman walked to load the bases. An RBI fielder’s choice by Bernard that erased the runner at second made it 11-5. Winkel made it 11-7 with a two-run to left-center.

In the ninth Keirsey Jr. reached on a two-out infield single to the pitcher. Keirsey Jr. took second on indifference and Camargo scored him when the third baseman Arias airmailed a throw to third getting the Saints to within three. After a walk to Michael Helman, Bernard stepped to the plate as the tying run. He blistered a groundball, but right to the shortstop Cairo who flipped to second ending the game.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the six-game series at CHS Field on Sunday afternoon at 2:07 p.m. The Saints are TBA and the Clippers send LHP Logan Allen (2-0, 3.86) to the mound. The game can be seen on the CW Network, MLB.TV, MiLB.TV, and the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.