Boushley Returns To Former Home And Dominates Sounds As Saints Hang On For 6-5 Win

NASHVILLE, TN (April 3, 2024) - Over the last two seasons Caleb Boushley was wearing a Nashville Sounds uniform. He started 51 games and was one of the best pitchers in the International League in 2022. He faced his former team on Wednesday night at First Horizon Park and was absolutely dominant for the St. Paul Saints. In the end, the Saints did just enough for a 6-5 victory over the Sounds. The win improves the Saints to 3-1.

The Saints got on the board in the first when they loaded the bases with one out courtesy of back-to-back walks to Jose Miranda and Patrick Winkel and a hit by pitch to Jair Camargo. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. put the Saints up 1-0 with an RBI single to right-center.

Boushley was perfect through two innings and his lone blemish came in the third. The Sounds tied it in the third when Chavez Young led off with an infield single to third, moved to second on a wild pitch, took third on a ground out, and scored on a single to right by Nick Kahle. Boushley wouldn’t allow another baserunner the rest of the night retiring the final 10 men he faced. He went 5.2 innings allowing one run on two hits while striking out five.

For the second consecutive night the Saints put up a four spot in an inning. They sent nine men to the plate in the fourth and scored four as Camargo led off the inning with a walk. Keirsey Jr. tripled him home giving the Saints a 2-1 lead. Tanner Morris made it 3-1 with an RBI double to left-center. With one out, Yoyner Fajardo walked and that was followed by an RBI double to left-center from Dalton Shuffield increasing the lead 4-1. Michael Helman finished the scoring with an RBI single to center making it 5-1.

The Sounds made it interesting in the seventh to draw within a run. With one out Brewer Hicklen doubled to left, Chris Roller singled him to third, and Isaac Collins made it 5-4 with a three-run homer to left, his first of the season.

Miranda provided some breathing room for the Saints, which it turned out they would need, in the ninth inning. With two outs Helman walked. He stole second, but it looked like the inning would end when Miranda hit a fly ball towards foul territory in right, but Joey Wiemer’s attempt at a running catch was dropped for an error and extended Miranda’s at bat. He made the Sounds pay by singling into left-center that scored Helman increasing the lead to 6-4.

That mistake proved costly because the Saints needed to hang on in the ninth for the victory. With one out, Diego Castillo walked Hicklen. He advanced to second on indifference and took third on a wild pitch. With two outs Collins drew a walk. Another wild pitch scored Hicklen and moved the tying run, Collins to second. Two more walks loaded the bases and that was the night for Castillo. Michael Boyle came out of the bullpen and needed just two pitches to get Nick Kahle to pop out and end the game.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series at First Horizon Park on Thursday night at 6:35 p.m. The Saints send RHP Randy Dobnak (1-0, 2.25) to the mound against Sounds RHP Evan McKendry (0-1, 5.79). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.