Saints Offense Continues To Produce In 10-5 Victory Over Indians

ST. PAUL, MN (July 28, 2021) - Over the last 30 days there is no team in all of Triple-A that has a better average, scored more runs, or hit more home runs than the St. Paul Saints. They continued their torrid July by doing something they haven’t done all season long: score double-digit runs in back-to-back games. They took down the Indianapolis Indians 10-5 on Wednesday night at CHS Field in front of 5,625 to improve to a season best five-games over .500 at 39-34.

Saints starter Charlie Barnes was scheduled to just throw the first inning of Wednesday’s game and the the Indians jumped on him in the first as newly acquired Tucapita Marcano led off the game with a walk. He advanced to second on a ground out and moved to third on a fly out. Christian Bethancourt made it 1-0 with an RBI double to left. That was followed by a Cole Tucker RBI single to right giving the Indians a 2-0 lead.

The Saints got their own two-out run in the bottom of the inning. With two out and nobody on, Rob Refsnyder doubled to the gap in right-center. Ben Rortvedt then lined an RBI single into left-center scoring Refsnyder to cut the Saints deficit to 2-1.

The Indians made it 3-1 in the third with another two-out run. With nobody on and two-out, Anthony Alford drilled a solo homer over the left field wall, his 10th of the season.

The Saints took the lead for good with a four-run bottom of the third. Jose Miranda led off the inning with a solo homer to left, his ninth of the season, making it 3-2. With one out, the Saints loaded the bases with a walk to Refsnyder, a bunt single by Rortvedt and a hit by pitch to Drew Maggi. Sherman Johnson then lined a bases clearing double down the right field line giving the Saints a 5-3 lead.

The Saints added to the lead in the fourth courtesy of another long ball. With one out, Miranda doubled and Mark Contreras was hit by a pitch. Refsnyder unloaded on a three-run homer to right, his fifth of the season, putting the Saints up 8-3. Refsnyder finished the night 2-4 with a double, home run, three RBI and three runs scored.

With the Saints up 8-4 in the bottom of the seventh they loaded the bases with one out on a single by Rortvedt, a hit by pitch to Maggi and a walk to Johnson. Jimmy Kerrigan delivered a two-run single to right-center making it 10-4.

The Saints bullpen of Yennier Cano (3.0 innings), Jovsni Moran (2.0 innings), Ian Hamilton (1.1 innings), and Kyle Barraclough (1.2 innings) went 8.0 innings allowing three runs on three hits while striking out nine.

The same two teams meet on Thursday in game three of the six-game series at CHS Field at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Matt Shoemaker (1-0, 2.77) to the mound against Indians LHP Steven Brault (0-1, 1.29). The game can be seen on the Saints Broadcast Network, cable access channels in and around the Twin Cities area, and MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.