Saints Making Noise In Final Stretch, Win Third Straight 4-3

ST. PAUL, MN (September 25, 2021) - Not every win is going to be a work of art. For the St. Paul Saints they capitalized on the Iowa Cubs inability to throw strikes early on, along with a big error, and got solid pitching to take down the Iowa Cubs 4-3 on Saturday night at CHS Field in front of 5,644. The Saints improved to 3-1 in the Final Stretch, a 10-game playoff in Triple-A, where the team with the best record over that span goes home with a prize.

The Saints utilized the wildness of I-Cubs starter Luis Lugo to score three in the first. Jose Miranda led off the inning with a walk. With one out Tomás Telis singled to left putting runners at first and second. Gilberto Celestino loaded the bases with a walk. The Saints took a 1-0 lead when Mark Contreras was hit by a pitch. Jimmy Kerrigan drove home Telis with a single to left giving the Saints a 2-0 lead. Ben Rortvedt made it 3-0 when he was plunked on the right arm to force in a run.

The I-Cubs scored in the second when Johneshwy Fargas led off with a double to right-center. He moved to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.

In the bottom of the inning the Saints took advantage of an I-Cubs miscue to score a run. Jose Miranda and Drew Maggi started the inning with back-to-back singles putting runners at first and second. Telis then hit a grounder to third and Christopher Morel tagged Miranda going by, but Morel’s throw to first went wide and into foul territory as Maggi raced around to score putting the Saints up 4-1.

The I-Cubs cut the Saints to lead to a pair in the fourth as Morel led off with a double down the third base line. He moved to third on a groundout and scored on Andrew Romine’s groundout making it 4-2.

In the fifth, the I-Cubs got to within one as Erick Castillo led off with a single. He moved to second on a single by Ian Miller. With runners at the corners and two outs Abiatal Avelino’s RBI single to right plated Castillo cutting the Saints lead to 4-3. Saints starter Drew Strotman went 6.0 strong innings allowing three runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out three.

The bullpen did the rest as Jason Garcia tossed a perfect seventh inning earning a strikeout.

Chris Nunn pitched a perfect eighth and fanned one.

In the ninth, Vinny Nottoli walked the leadoff hitter, Fargas. He stole second, but Nittoli fanned Andrew Romine. Trent Giambrone lined out to right and Fargas and tagged and just beat the throw to third. Castillo would fly out to center to end the game as Nittoli picked up his first save of the season.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the five-game series on Sunday afternoon at 12:05 p.m. The Saints send LHP Andrew Albers (6-4, 3.86) to the mound while the I-Cubs are TBA. The game can be seen on 45TV and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.