Turn About Fair Play, Saints Come Back From Five Down To Win 8-5

ST. PAUL, MN (May 1, 2024) - One game after squandering a 5-0 lead to the Louisville Bats, the St. Paul Saints flipped the script and did the same thing to the Louisville Bats on Wednesday night at CHS Field. Trailing 5-0 going into the bottom of the fourth, the Saints scored eight unanswered runs and got 6.1 scoreless innings from the bullpen for an 8-5 victory in front of 4,478. The win improves the Saints to 11-16 on the season.

The Bats struck first in the first with a solo home run to right by Rece Hinds, his third of the season, making it 1-0.

Three more runs came across for the Bats in the second inning. Peyton Burdick led off with a walk and Michael Trautwein doubled him to third. With one out, Conner Capel reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases. Erik Gonzalez’ RBI fielder’s choice and back-to-back RBI singles from Blake Dunn and Livan Soto increased the Bats lead to 4-0.

Edwin Rios made it 5-0 Bats with a solo homer off the batter’s eye in center field to lead off the fourth, his second of the season.

The Saints wasted little time in mounting a comeback and taking the lead as they put up six runs in the bottom of the fourth all with two outs. After Tony Kemp and Chris Williams were retired, Anthony Prato was hit by a pitch and Diego Castillo walked. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. made it 5-1 with an RBI single to right as Castillo took third. Austin Martin roped an RBI ground rule double to right getting the Saints within 5-2. Matt Wallner then hit a ground ball to first that Rios couldn’t handle, and two runs scored on the error making it a one run game at 5-4. Michael Helman gave the Saints their first lead of the night with a two-run homer to right-center, his third of the season, making it 6-5.

The game stayed that way because of the incredible job by the Saints bullpen. Jordan Balazovic finished off the third inning by getting the last out and pitched a scoreless fourth. Austin Schulfer was masterful in his two shutout innings. Ryan Jensen then tossed two hitless, scoreless innings of relief.

The Saints rewarded the bullpens hard work by tacking on a couple of insurance runs in the seveht. With one out Yunior Severino singled to right. With two outs four straight walks forced in two runs increasing the lead to 8-5.

Diego Castillo finished off the night for the Saints pitching staff throwing a perfect ninth, while fanning two.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series at CHS Field at 6:37 p.m. on Thursday. The Saints are TBA and the Bats send RHP Connor Phillips (1-2, 9.00). 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.