Local Boy Makes Good, Varland Dominates In Triple-A Debut, Saints Take Down Clippers 5-1
ST. PAUL, MN (August 12, 2022) - Chants of “LOUUUU” rang throughout CHS Field. There was even a “LOUUUUU” banner. It seemed like half of the city of St. Paul was in attendance to watch the local kid from North St. Paul High School and Concordia St. Paul make his
_ST. PAUL, MN _*(August 12, 2022) - *Chants of “LOUUUU” rang throughout CHS Field. There was even a “LOUUUUU” banner. It seemed like half of the city of St. Paul was in attendance to watch the local kid from North St. Paul High School and Concordia St. Paul make his Triple-A debut. Louie Varland defied even the wildest expectations carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning as the St. Paul Saints defeated the Columbus Clippers 5-1 on Friday night at CHS Field in front of 7,682.
Varland settled in from the get-go striking out the very first batter he faced, Richie Palacios. He walked Bo Naylor with two outs, but got Will Brennan to fly out to end the second inning.
The second inning was a mirror image of the first. A strikeout, a two out walk, and a line out to end the inning.
In the third, Varland fanned Mitch Tolman to lead off the inning and, with two outs, Gabrial Arias reached on a two base throwing error by the shortstop Elliot Soto. That didn’t faze Varland, who struck out Naylor looking to end the inning.
The most impressive inning came in the fourth when Varland struck out the side.
The Saints offense, meanwhile, didn’t have a base runner through the first three innings. That changed in the fourth when Michael Helman broke up the perfect game with a single to left. That opened it up for the Saints to get on the board. With one out, Matt Wallner walked. Roy Morales doubled down the right field line scoring both Helman and Wallner making it 2-0 Saints. Mark Contreras followed with a two-run blast to right, his 11th of the season, giving the Saints a 4-0 lead.
Varland went back out for the fifth and retired the side in order, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth. He struck out the leadoff hitter, Richie Palacios, before giving up a one out double to right-center to Arias. That was the night for Varland who left to a raucous standing ovation. Evan Sisk came on in relief and retired the final two hitters of the inning. Varland went 5.1 shutout innings allowing one hit while walking two and striking out eight as he picked up his first Triple-A win in his first Triple-A start. He threw 84 pitches, 51 for strikes.
The Clippers got on the board in the eighth with a leadoff homer from Mitch Tolman, his ninth of the season, making it 4-1.
The Saint added an insurance run without a hit in the ninth. Helman led off with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After a walk to Wallner, Morales’ RBI groundout increased the lead to 5-1.
The same two teams meet in the fifth game of a six-game series on Saturday night at CHS Field at 7:07 p.m. The Saints send LHP Devin Smeltzer (2-2, 4.98) to the mound against Clippers LHP Tanner Tully (6-3, 4.38). The game can be seen on FOX9+ and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN, 100.3 FM.