Reversal of Fortune, Saints Blanked By Indianapolis 2-0

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (September 17, 2021) - The St. Paul Saints got another solid start, this time from Jason Garcia. Unfortunately, the offense never got a runner as far as third base and were blanked one night after shutting out the Indianapolis Indians, losing 2-0 on Friday night at Victory Field. It was the sixth time this season the Saints were blanked.

Jason Garcia cruised through the first two innings before running into a jam in the third. With two outs Jared Oliva doubled and Michael Chavis’ infield single put runners at the corners. Garcia would get Bligh Madris to ground out to end the inning.

In the fourth, Garcia got out of a bigger jam as the first two hitters singled to put runners on first and second with nobody out. A fly out by Diego Castillo moved the runners up to second and third. Garcia got Chris Sharpe to pop out to second and Taylor Davis to foul out to right to end the inning. Garcia went 4.0 shutout innings allowing four hits while walking one and striking out one.

The Saints offense meanwhile had their best opportunity against Miguel Yajure in the first when Mitch Garver walked with one out and with two outs Gilberto Celestino singled him to second. Jimmy Kerrigan flew out to center to end the inning.

The game was scoreless until the Indians got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs reliever Edgar Garcia walked Chavis. Bligh Madris followed with an RBI double to center putting the Indians up 1-0.

In the top of the sixth Celestino doubled with two outs, but was left stranded when Kerrigan struck out to end the inning.

The Indians made it 2-0 in the sixth as Edgar Garcia walked the leadoff hitter, Diego Castillo. Chris Sharpe singled to center moving Castillo to second. With one out, Ethan Paul’s RBI single to left-center put the Indians up 2-0.

The only other time the Saints had a runner reach second came in the ninth when closer Tyler Bashlor walked Celestino to lead off the inning. Celestino finished 3-3 with a double. With two outs Damek Tomscha walked, but Sherman Johnson walked to end the game.

Garver went 0-2 with two strikeouts and a walk in his first rehab game.

The same two teams meet in game five of a six-game series on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. central at Victory Field. The Saints send LHP Bryan Sammons (1-2, 5.49) to the mound while the Indians are TBA. The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.