Griffin Jax Fans Career High 10 As Saints Blank I-Cubs 4-0 For Fifth Straight Win

DES MOINES, IA (May 28, 2021) - One lousy hit. One fly ball double to lead off the fifth inning. That’s all that stood in the way of the St. Paul Saints and history on Friday night at Principal Park. On a frigid 48 degree night in Des Moines, the Saints remained hot behind the arm of Griffin Jax, who struck out a career high 10, in a 4-0 victory over the Iowa Cubs, their fifth straight win. By winning the first four games of the series it’s the first series victory of the year for the Saints. The win improves the Saints to 11-11, the first time they’ve been at .500 since they were 1-1.

The story over the last week has been the Saints starting pitching. They entered play with a 1.82 ERA since May 21. Griffin Jax made sure that number was lowered on Friday night. He retired the first seven batters he faced before walking Andrew Romine walked with two outs in the third. Romine was thrown out trying to steal and Ian Miller struck out to end the inning as Jax faced the minimum through 3.0 innings.

Meanwhile, the Saints offense gave Jax the lead in the top of the third when Tzu-Wei Line singled, stole second and scored on a two-out base hit by Ryan Jeffers making it 1-0.

In the top of the fourth JT Riddle and Ben Rortvedt led off with back-to-back singles putting runners at first and second. A groundout by Jimmy Kerrigan moved the runners up to second and third and Damek Tomscha’s RBI groundout scored Riddle increasing the Saints lead to 2-0.

That was all Jax and the Saints pitching staff needed. In the fourth, Jax walked Trayce Thompson with two outs, but struck out Taylor Gushue to end the inning.

In the fifth, Vance Vizcaino got the only hit of the night against the Saints, a fly ball double down the left field line to lead off the inning. Jax would come back and strikeout Tony Wolters and Jacob Olson before getting Romine on a nice diving play by first baseman Tomás Telis on a ground ball down the line to end the inning.

Jax’ final inning was the sixth and he struck out the side. He finished the night going 6.0 shutout innings allowing one hit while walking two and striking out a career high 10, two more than his career high of eight which he had accomplished three times, including in his last start. The Saints starters lowered their ERA to 1.53 in their last seven games.

Shaun Anderson pitched 1.0 inning for the Saints on Major League rehab and worked a scoreless seventh, walking one and striking out one.

The Saints added to their lead in the eighth when Lin led off with a walk. He stole second and, with two outs, scored on a double by Mark Contreras, his first Triple-A hit, putting the Saints up 3-0. Riddle followed with an RBI single making it 4-0.

Ian Gibaut pitched the final two innings not allowing a hit while walking one and striking out four.

Saints pitchers struck out 15 for the third time this season. The shutout was the first in franchise history and the one hit the fewest given up.

The same two teams meet on Saturday night at 7:08 p.m. The Saints send RHP Chandler Shepherd (0-1, 5.87) to the mound while the I-Cubs are TBA. The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.