Pitching Rules the Day, Saints Walked-Off In Ninth Lose 1-0

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 17, 2024) - St. Paul Saints starter David Festa had perhaps his sharpest outing of the season. The hurlers behind him were equally as good. Unfortunately, for the Saints they went 0-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight runners as they lost 1-0 on a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to the Indianapolis Indians on Wednesday afternoon at Victory Field. The loss drops the Saints to 7-9 on the season.

The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the ninth. Gilberto Celestino led off with a walk, stole second, and moved to third on an infield single to first by Matt Gorski. With the infield drawn in, Carter Bins hit a 66-mph ground ball that snuck through the middle of the infield into center field that scored Celestino to end the game.

The number five rated prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization, Festa, had allowed just two runs across 8.1 innings in his first three starts of the season, despite walking nine. On Wednesday, he looked sharp right from the start. The lone hit he gave up through the first three innings was a bunt single to the second batter of the game.

In the third, Festa worked around a couple of walks, but left runners stranded at first and second after striking out .344 hitter, Liover Peguero. Festa finished his night after the fourth, where he gave up a two-out single to Billy McKinney before getting Matt Gorski to line out to left. Festa went 4.0 shutout innings allowing two hits while walking two and striking out five. He threw 57 pitches, 39 for strikes. He got a swing and miss on 14 of 34 pitches, including nine of 17 on his slider.

The Saints offense had their chances to push across a run. In the first, Diego Castillo reached on an infield single to third and took second on the throwing error on the play. He took third on a groundout by DaShawn Keirsey Jr., but Yunior Severino struck out and Chris Williams grounded back to the pitcher to end the inning.

In the fourth, Anthony Prato walked and moved to second on Alex Isola’s single to left. After a fielder’s choice put runners at the corners with two outs, Dalton Shuffield stole second putting runners at second and third. Yoyner Fajardo struck out to end the inning.

The Saints threatened again in the fifth when Will Holland led off by being hit by a pitch. He stole second and moved to third on a groundout by Keirsey Jr. Severino then walked and stole second, but Williams struck out to end the inning. The Saints stole four bases on Wednesday and are now a perfect 21-21 on the season. They have tied the Triple-A record for most consecutive stolen bases to start a year without being caught (going back to 2005, as far back as the MiLB stat site goes) with the Sacramento River Cats, who accomplished the feat this season.

Jorge Alcala got his first work for the Saints this season and was strong in 2.0 shutout innings. He allowed a fly ball that the 25 mph wind gusts pushed for a double, walked two and struck out four.

The Saints had another opportunity in the ninth when Prato led off with his third walk of the game. He took second on a fly out by Isola and moved to third on Shuffield’s groundout, but Fajardo struck out to end the inning.

This was only the second game in franchise history that went to the ninth scoreless. The other time it happened, the Saints were also walked-off in the ninth on July 18, 2023 at Omaha. The Saints are now 3-5 in 1-0 games.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series at Victory Field on Thursday night at 5:35 p.m. (CT). The Saints send RHP Joe Gunkel (0-1, 7.27) to the mound against Indians RHP Paul Skenes (0-0, 0.00). The game is the MiLB.TV free game of the day and can be seen for free on MiLB.TV, MLB.TV, the Pipeline homepage, and on the Minnesota Twins and Pittsburgh Pirates sites, and can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.