Saints Swept In Doubleheader, Lose Another One-Run Game 8-7

ST. PAUL, MN (April 27, 2024) - For the second consecutive time on Saturday the St. Paul Saints trailed going into the last inning and had the winning run at the plate. For the second time on Saturday, they failed to push across the important run and were swept in the doubleheader losing game two 8-7 on Saturday afternoon at CHS Field in front of 4,334.

With the game tied at seven in the sixth the Red Wings scored in their third consecutive inning and took an 8-7 lead. Jackson Cluff led off with a double to left. Brady Lindsly then dropped down a bunt single that put runners at the corners. A sacrifice fly from Darren Baker scored Cluff.

In the bottom of the seventh, Anthony Prato roped a one out single to left-center and he represented the tying run. For the fourth time in game two, the Saints grounded into a double play as DaShawn Keirsey Jr. hit one up the middle, but the shortstop Jack Dunn was perfectly positioned as he stepped on the bag and threw to first to end the game.

Matt Wallner led off the second inning for the Saints with a double to left-center and came into score on a single to left-center by Chris Williams making it 1-0.

In the fourth the Red Wings grabbed the lead with a four spot. James Wood led off with a single to right and that was followed by a walk to Juan Yepez. Travis Blankenhorn then hit a ground ball to second that looked to be a potential double play. Tony Kemp shoveled to the shortstop Diego Castillo at second who tried to catch it with his bare hand and dropped the ball for the error that loaded the bases. Carter Kieboom’s RBI single to short tied the game at one. Dunn gave the Red Wings a 3-1 lead with a two-run double to right. With one out Lindsly tacked on another run with a sacrifice fly increasing the lead to 4-1.

The top of the order added to the Red Wings lead in the fifth. Leadoff man Darren Baker started it with a single to right. He stole second and Wood followed with a 25-foot tapper up the third base line for an infield single that put runners at the corners. Wood and Baker then pulled off a double steal as Wood stole second, and on the throw down to second, Baker stole home giving the Red Wings a 5-1 lead. Blankenhorn made it 7-1 with a two-run homer to right-center, his seventh of the season.

The offense exploded for the Saints in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Kemp led off with a walk and Patrick Winkel doubled him to third. Castillo’s RBI single to left got the Saints to within 7-2. Yoyner Fajardo made it 7-3 with an RBI double to right. After a walk to Anthony Prato loaded the bases, the Red Wings made a pitching change. Keirsey Jr.’s sacrifice fly got the Saints to within three at 7-4. Michael Helman, who came off the IL before the game, tied the game with a three-run homer to left-center, his second of the season.

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 send RHP David Festa (0-0, 1.72) to the mound against Red Wings RHP Jackson Rutledge (1-1, 9.82). 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.