Saints Fan 15 I-Cubs, But Fall 4-1

ST. PAUL, MN (April 10, 2024) - One-by-one the St. Paul Saints pitchers set down the Iowa Cubs hitters. They even struck out the I-Cubs number one prospect, Pete Crow-Armstrong, five times, the first time in his career that’s happened. Two mistakes, however, left the ballpark and the Saints hit into two costly double plays in a 4-1 loss on Wednesday night in front of 3,145.

Over the first four innings it was a good old fashioned pitchers’ duel as Saints starter Randy Dobnak and I-Cubs starter Thomas Pannone went toe-to-toe. Dobnak struck out all three outs in the first and despite giving up a leadoff single in the second, fanned two before getting out of a first and third two-out jam by getting a groundout from Ali Sánchez.

Dobnak retired eight in a row until an infield one out single by Jake Slaughter in the fifth. That was followed by a walk to Sánchez putting runners at first and second. After a strikeout of Crow-Armstrong, for the third time on the night, Major League rehabber Patrick Wisdom got the I-Cubs on the board with a three-run homer to right-center, his second of the season, making it 3-0. Dobnak went 4.2 innings allowing three runs on five hits while walking one and striking out seven.

The Saints finally broke through against Pannone, who had not given up a run in his first two starts and stretched his scoreless streak to 15.2 innings as the game reached the sixth. The first two batters reached when Michael Helman led off with a double off the wall in right and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. walked. That was the night for Pannone who gave way to reliever Riley Thompson. With one out Yunior Severino slapped a single into left scoring Helman cutting the deficit to 3-1. After a walk to Alex Isola loaded the bases, Anthony Prato grounded into an inning ending double play.

In the seventh, the Saints had another opportunity when Chris Williams led off with a single to right and Will Holland reached on a one out single putting runners at first and second, but Helman grounded into an inning ending double play.

The I-Cubs got an insurance run in the eighth when the I-Cubs number 10 prospect, Alexander Canario, deposited one over the left-center field wall for a solo homer, his second of the season, making it 4-1.

Along with Dobnak’s seven strikeouts, reliever Matt Bowman fanned three, Diego Castillo struck out two, and Ryan Jensen got all three outs in the ninth by way of the strikeout.

The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series on Thursday night at 6:37 p.m. The Saints send RHP David Festa (0-0, 1.59) to the mound against I-Cubs Chris Clarke (0-0, 1.42). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities, MLB.TV, MiLB.TV, and the Bally Live app, and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.