Rodríguez Remarkable Out Of Pen, Saints Blast Four Home Runs In 6-5 Win Over Clippers

COLUMBUS, OH (June 17, 2022) - After homering in 18 consecutive games, the Saints failed to hit one out of the park in the last two. They more than made up for it on Friday night at Huntington Park blasting four home runs and they got a superb 5.0 inning relief appearance from Dereck Rodríguez in a 6-5 win over the Columbus Clippers. The win send the Saints back over .500 at 32-31 and is just their second win in nine games in Columbus this season.

With the Saints leading 6-3 going into the bottom of the ninth Rodríguez, who allowed just two singles through his first 4.0 innings of relief, was sent out to finish off the game. With one out he walked Mitchell Tolman. That was followed by a double to left by Trenton Brooks putting runners at second and third. Rodríguez then got Will Benson to ground out, which scored a run to make it 6-4. Tyler Freeman knocked home Brooks cutting the Saints lead to one at 6-5. With the tying run aboard, Rodríguez was determined to finish the game despite activity in the bullpen. He was rewarded by getting Nolan Jones to ground out to end the game. Rodríguez went 5.0 innings allowing two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out two in picking up his fourth win of the season.

For the second consecutive game the Clippers got on the board first in the first. With two outs and nobody on, Major League rehabber Franmil Reyes singled to right. Will Brennan followed with an RBI double off the wall putting the Clippers up 1-0.

The Saints began the home run barrage in the third as John Andreoli delivered a solo shot to left, his second with the Saints and fourth overall, tying the game at one. With two outs, Michael Helman reached on an infield single, and Mark Contreras delivered a two-run homer to straightaway center, his seventh of the season, giving the Saints a 3-1 lead.

The Clippers knotted the game at three in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Benson hit a solo homer to center, his 10th of the season, making it 3-2. Freeman followed that with a walk and then Reyes smoked a ball up the middle that went off the glove of Michael Helman, for an error, as Freeman took third. Brennan collected his second RBI double of the game tying it up at three.

The Saints used their third long ball of the game to take the lead as Curtis Terry drilled a solo shot to left, his sixth of the season, making it 4-3.

Helman gave the Saints some much needed insurance in the top of the ninth. With two outs, Jake Cave doubled to right. His walk earlier in the game extended his streak of reaching base safely to 35 consecutive games. Helman followed that with a two-run blast to left, his second of the season, putting the Saints up 6-3. Helman finished the night 3-5 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Helman’s big home run was much needed as the Saints were able to hang on courtesy of some gutsy pitching by Rodríguez at the end.

The same two teams meet in game five of a six-game series on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. (CT). The Saints send RHP Jake Faria (1-2, 6.48) to the mound against Clippers LHP Kirk McCarty (2-1, 3.93). The game can be seen on MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus 96.7 FM.