Saints Seven Game Win Streak Snapped After Six Run Eighth, Lose 6-2

LOUISVILLE, KY (June 2, 2021) - The St. Paul Saints were four outs away from increasing their winning streak to eight games, but the Louisville Bats, who came in dead last in Triple-A East in batting average at .214, found a way to come back. The Saints gave up six runs with two outs in the eighth and lost 6-2 on Wednesday night at Louisville Slugger Field.

With the Saints up 2-0 in the eighth, Lewis Thorpe retired the first two hitters of the inning on fly outs. He then walked the number nine hitter, TJ Friedl. That was followed by a pinch-hit single from Alejo Lopez. Thorpe then walked Errol Robinson to load the bases. Alfredo Rodriguez tied it with a two-run single to left. Dwight Smith Jr. came through with an RBI double to give the Bats a 3-2 lead. Thorpe departed for reliever Ian Gibaut. He was greeted with a two-run single from Brantley Bell increasing the lead to 5-2. Narciso Crook finished the scoring with an RBI double to left to put the game away.

The eighth inning wasted an incredible starting performance from Charlie Barnes. He retired the side in the first inning with a couple of strikeouts, including getting Major League rehabber Joey Votto looking to start the inning.

Barnes allowed just two hits through four innings and his offense staked him to a 2-0 lead going into the fifth. Brent Rooker crushed a solo homer to left-center in the fourth, his sixth of the season, to make it 1-0.

With one out in the fifth Daniel Descalso walked. Keon Broxton followed with a single to center and JT Riddle was hit by a pitch to load the bases. An RBI fielder’s choice from Drew Maggi put the Saints up 2-0.

The lone trouble Barnes ran into was in the bottom of the fifth. He walked the leadoff hitter Crook and, with one out, Chris Okey singled him to third. Barnes got out of the inning by getting TJ Friedl to hit into a double play.

Barnes finished his night in the sixth by getting hit second strikeout of Votto looking and after a walk to Robinson, got Rodriguez to hit a comebacker as Barnes started the 1-6-3 double play to end the inning. Barnes went 6.0 shutout innings allowing three hits while walking two and striking out six. He hasn’t allowed a run in his last 10.0 innings of work.

The Saints and Bats play a doubleheader on Thursday evening beginning at 4:30 p.m. central. Both games are scheduled for seven innings and game two begins approximately 30 minutes at the conclusion of game one. The Saints send RHP Jhoan Duran (0-0, 1.29) to the mound in game one against Bats RHP Bo Takahashi (0-1, 3.74). In game two the Saints send RHP Chandler Shepherd (0-1, 5.06) to the mound against Bats LHP Reiver Sanmartin (0-0, 6.75). Both games can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.