Boushley and Bullpen Blank Red Wings, 3-0

ST. PAUL, MN (April 25, 2024) - Caleb Boushley was one of the best pitchers in the International League in 2022 while with Nashville. Aside from one outing against the Iowa Cubs on April 9, Boushley has been just as dominant this season. On Thursday night at CHS Field, he continued to roll tossing 6.0 shutout innings combining with three relievers on the second shutout of the season, a 3-0 win over the Rochester Red Wings in front of 4,133.

Boushley got three of his four strikeouts in the first inning, fanning Darren Baker before giving up a double to James Wood and finishing off the inning with back-to-back strikeouts of Juan Yepez and Travis Blankenhorn.

A failed pickoff attempt led to the Saints first run of the game. With one out in the first DaShawn Keirsey Jr. walked. Keirsey Jr. attempted to steal second, but pitcher DJ Herz threw to first as Keirsey tried to get back to the bag. Herz’ throw, however, went into foul territory and Keirsey Jr. took third. With two outs Matt Wallner came through with an RBI single to left-center giving the Saints a 1-0 lead.

From there it was all Bouhsley, but he got a little help from some bad base running by the Red Wings. With one out in the second, Carter Kieboom doubled to left. Jackson Cluff then dropped down a bunt single to third that put runners at the corners. That’s when chaos ensued. Brady Lindsly hit a grounder to Anthony Prato at third. Kieboom broke for the plate. Prato threw home and Patrick Winkel ran Kieboom back to third. Saints shortstop Will Holland came racing over to third to cover the bag. Winkel threw to Holland who tagged out Kieboom, but at the same time Cluff came racing towards third and Holland turned around and tagged him out for the double play.

From that point on, Boushley allowed just three singles and only one runner as far as second. He went 6.0 shutout innings allowing six hits while striking out four. He threw 81 pitches, 57 for strikes.

The man that tied the Minor League lead for home runs in 2023, Yunior Severino, gave the Saints a 2-0 lead in the sixth with a solo home run over the right field wall, his third of the season.

Justin Topa made his first Major League rehab appearance and looked great. Alex Call led off with a ground ball to short, but Diego Castillo’s throw to first was high and pulled Severino off the bag for an error. Topa followed with a strikeout. With Cluff at the plate, Call stole second and took third on a throwing error by catcher Patrick Winkel. That didn’t bother Topa, who struck out Cluff looking and then got Lindsly swinging to end the inning. Topa went 1.0 hitless, shutout inning of relief and struck out three. He threw 15 pitches, 12 for strikes.

In the bottom of the inning the Saints added to their lead. Tanner Morris led off with a walk. Castillo then hit a ground ball to the shortstop Cluff and his throw to second was dropped by second baseman Erick Mejia allowing the Saints to have runners at first and second. A double play ground out moved Morris to third and he scored on a double to right by Keirsey Jr. increasing the lead to 3-0.

Jordan Balazovic pitched a scoreless eighth giving up just a one out double and striking out one.

Diego Castillo finished it off with a perfect ninth with a strikeout as he picked up his first Minor League save since 2018 when he was with the Durham Bulls.

It was the second shutout of the season for the Saints in just their 23rd game, the fastest to two shutouts in franchise history by 15 games.

The same two teams meet in game four of a six-game series at CHS Field on Friday night at 6:37 p.m. The Saints send RHP Louie Varland (NR) to the mound against Red Wings RHP Thaddeus Ward (0-1, 6.57). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, MLB.TV, MiLB.TV, the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.