It's A Walk-Off Kind Of Day, Celestino Wins It With Single In Extras, 4-3

ST. PAUL, MN (August 17, 2021) - The St. Paul Saints have this walk-off celebration down pat. For the second time on the day they won it in their final at bat as Gilberto Celestino’s infield single gave the Saints a 4-3 victory over the Iowa Cubs in the bottom of the eighth inning, of a game scheduled for seven, on Tuesday night at CHS Field in front of 6,583. The win improves the Saints to a season high nine games over .500 at 50-41 and they are now just 0.5 game out of first place.

After Ian Hamilton pitched out of a runner at third and one out situation in the top of the eighth, the Saints went to work in the bottom of the inning. With the pinch runner Keon Broxton at second, the resumed games hero from earlier in the day, Tomás Telis, lined a single just over the glove of shortstop Abiatal Avelino and into center. Broxton, who had to hold to make sure the ball wasn’t caught, advanced to third. With one out, Celestino hit a high chopper to short for an infield single that scored Broxton for the game winner. It was the Saints seventh consecutive extra inning win and their seventh walk-off win of the season.

The I-Cubs jumped out to the lead in the fourth courtesy of five singles. Trayce Thompson and Nick Martini led off the inning with back-to-back singles putting runners at first and second. A sacrifice bunt by Taylor Gushue moved the runners up 90-feet. Jared Young made it 1-0 with an RBI single to right. An RBI groundout from Levi Jordan put the I-Cubs up 2-0. Trent Giambrone made it 3-0 with an RBI single to left.

The Saints tied it up in the bottom of the fifth and stormed back with two outs. Drew Stankiewicz drilled a solo homer to left-center, his first of the season, making it 3-1. Jose Miranda followed with a walk and Trevor Larnach’s double scored Miranda making it 3-2. Telis knotted the game at three with an RBI single to right.

Saints starter Drew Strotman went 5.2 strong innings allowing three runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out three while Hamilton went 2.1 perfect innings of relief to pick up the win.

The same two teams meet in game two of the six-game series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send Chandler Shepherd (6-5, 5.61) to the mound and the I-Cubs are TBA. The game can be seen on Bally Sports North and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.