Seventh Heaven, Saints Win Again, 5-4 In Rain Shortened Game

ST. PAUL, MN (June 18, 2024) - That’s one way for the St. Paul Saints to make history. No, not their seven-game winning streak. For the first time in franchise history, the Saints got a complete game. It came from Adam Plutko in a rain-shortened 5.1 inning game. Brooks Lee did the damage with a grand slam that proved to be the difference in a 5-4 victory over the Toledo Mud Hens on Tuesday night at CHS Field in front of 6,084. The win was the Saints seventh in a row, and they are now 34-35, the first time they’ve gotten to within a game of .500 since they were 7-8.

For the first time since June 12, the Saints trailed in a game. The Mud Hens grabbed the 1-0 lead in the first when Parker Meadows led off the game with an infield single to first and with one out Jace Jung doubled him home.

The first two runners reached for the Mud Hens in the second on a single to center by Eddys Leonard and a double from Justice Bigbie to left putting runners at second and third. With one out Meadows made it 3-0 with a two-run double to right.

The long ball has been a part of the Saints arsenal over the last couple of weeks and it proved big in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs and nobody on, Diego Castillo got the Saints on the board with a solo homer to left, his fourth of the season, cutting the deficit to 3-1. The next three hitters reached to load the bases as Patrick Winkel walked, Will Holland singled to left, and Edouard Julien walked. The brought up Lee who gave the Saints the lead with a grand slam to left, his second home run of the season and second career grand slam, making it 5-3.

A long ball from the Mud Hens got them to within one as Leonard hit a solo shot to left, his first of the season, cutting the Saints lead to 5-4. That’s when the downpour came and halted play. After a 30-minute delay, play was halted and the game was an official ballgame resulting in a Saints victory. Saints starter Adam Plutko who gutted out 5.1 innings in his start, recorded the first ever complete game in franchise history allowing four runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out two.

The same two teams meet in game two of a six-game series at 1:05 p.m. at CHS Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Saints are TBA and the Mud Hens send LHP Brant Hunter (1-3, 5.40) 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.