Williams Ties Career Franchise Home Run Record, Matthews Wins Triple-A Debut, Saints Sweep Mud Hens With 10-3 Win

TOLEDO, OH (July 21, 2024) - One guy was playing in his 193^rd Saints game. The other in his first. Chris Williams tied the franchise career home run record with his 43^rd in a 4-4 performance, while Zebby Matthews made his long awaited Triple-A debut and came as advertised earning a victory in his first appearance. The Saints jumped on the Detroit Tigers #13 prospect, Toledo Mud Hens lefty Brant Hurter who gave up a career-high nine runs, in a 10-3 victory on Sunday evening at Fifth Third Field. The win gave the Saints a sweep of the three-game series from the Mud Hens.

A night after collecting 19 hits, the Saints jumped out to a lead in the first. With two outs and nobody on Yunior Severino walked, Williams singled to center moving Severino to third, and Wynton Bernard made it 1-0 with an RBI single to left-center. Anthony Prato gave the Saints a 3-0 lead with a two-run triple to right-center.

Zebby Matthews went out in the bottom of the first and retired the first two hitters he faced including striking out the second batter. Top 100 prospect Jace Jung, however, doubled off the wall in right-center and Dillon Dingler followed with a two-run homer to left, his 13^th of the season, cutting the Saints lead to 3-2. That would be the lone blip on the ledger for Matthews during the evening. He would give up just two more baserunners, a one out infield single in the third and a one out double in the fifth. Matthews went 5.0 innings allowing two runs on four hits while walking nobody and striking out six. He threw 76 pitches, 52 for strikes including eight swings and misses.

The offense continued to pile up hits and runs for the Saints in the third as the first three hitters reached. Rylan Bannon led off with a single to right-center, he moved to third on a single to left-center by Severino, and scored on a Williams single to right giving the Saints a 4-2 lead. A wild pitch moved the runners up and a balk scored Severino making it 5-2. With two outs Alex Isola increased the lead to 6-2 with an RBI double to left.

Three continued to be the Saints favorite number as they put up their third three run inning of the game in the fourth. Dalton Shuffield led off the inning with a walk. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. was hit by a pitch putting runners at first and second. Back-to-back RBI singles by Bannon and Severino gave the Saints an 8-2 lead. He finished 2-4 with an RBI, and two runs scored. After a walk to Williams loaded the bases, an RBI fielder’s choice from Bernard increased the lead to 9-2. Bernard went 2-4 with two RBI, and a run scored.

Williams made history in the sixth as he blasted a leadoff solo home run giving the Saints a 10-2 lead. The home run, his 12^th of the season and seventh in July, was the 43^rd of his career, tying Mark Contreras for the career franchise record. Williams finished the evening 4-4, a triple shy of the cycle, with two RBI, three runs scored, and a walk.

Brock Stewart made his fourth rehab appearance for the Saints in the sixth. It was his most impressive outing as he struck out the side on 11 pitches. His fastball averaged 96.4 miles per hour and topped out at 97.2 mph.

The Mud Hens snagged an unearned run in the seventh. Justice Bigbie led off with a walk and with two outs Riley Unroe walked. Drew Maggi hit a ground ball down the third base line that Prato backhanded and his throw to first went over the head of the first baseman Severino and off the side wall. That allowed Bigbie to score making it 10-3.

The Saints are off on Monday and return to action on Tuesday night at CHS Field against the Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals) at 7:07 p.m. Both teams are TBA. 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.