Henriquez Fans Nine, Offense Crushes Mud Hens’ Pitching in 10-6 Victory
September 7, 2022 – International League (IL) – St. Paul Saints News Release
TOLEDO, OH – Offense doesn’t exist for the St. Paul Saints at Fifth Third Field. In 18 games at the home ballpark of the Toledo Mud Hens, the Saints average just 3.6 runs per game, the fewest of any ballpark in franchise history. On Wednesday night, they proved runs can be had in Toledo. They put up their most runs ever at Fifth Third Field, winning 10-6 and getting back to .500 at 65-65.
The Saints wasted little time taking the lead as Michael Helman swung at the first pitch of the game and crushed it over the left field wall, his 12th of the season, making it 1-0. With two outs, Mark Contreras drilled a solo homer to right, his 14th of the season, increasing the lead to 2-0.
Three extra base hits in the second helped the Saints add to their lead. Cole Sturgeon led off with a triple to left-center. Andrew Bechtold then hit a high chopper over the head of third baseman Andrew Lipcius for an RBI double that made it 3-0. With one out, Elliot Soto tripled down the left field line scoring Bechtold making it 4-0. An RBI groundout by Matt Wallner gave the Saints a 5-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Saints starter Ronny Henriquez was masterful through one turn around the Mud Hens lineup. He was perfect through 3.0 innings striking out five.
Soto led off the fourth inning with a double to left and advanced to third on the fielding error by the left fielder, Brendon Davis. Helman then smacked an RBI single to center scoring Soto to make it 6-0. Helman went 2-4 with a home run, two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base.
Henriquez ran into his only trouble in the fourth as the Mud Hens got on the board. Zack Short led off with a walk and Daz Cameron hit a two-run homer to center, his seventh of the season, making it 6-2. Henriquez went 5.0 innings allowing two runs on one hit while walking one and striking out a season high nine.
In the sixth, the Saints added a run without a hit. David Bañuelos led off with a walk. With one out, Helman walked putting runners at first and second. Matt Wallner then hit a grounder to first, but first baseman Ali Sánchez had the ball go in and out of his glove for an error to load the bases. Chris Williams’ fielder’s choice groundout plated Bañuelos to give the Saints a 7-2 lead.
The Mud Hens grabbed that run back in the bottom of the inning as Short led off with a single to center. Cameron walked and a double play moved Short to third. A wild pitch scored Short cutting the Saints lead to 7-3.
In the seventh, the Saints got that run back. With two outs, Bechtold reached on an infield single to the pitcher and advanced to second on the throwing error. Bañuelos then lined a double off the leg of the pitcher Zac Houston scoring Bechtold giving the Saints an 8-3 lead.
Randy Dobnak made his fourth Major League rehab appearance for the Saints in the seventh. He gave up a one out double to Sánchez and walked Chris Rabago. With two outs, Short doubled to center driving home a pair cutting the Saints lead to 8-5. Dobnak went 2.0 innings allowing two runs on three hits while waling one and striking out one.
Mark Contreras came calling for the second time in the game in the eighth. With one out Wallner walked and with two outs Contreras hit a two-run opposite field homer to left, his second of the night and 15th of the season, giving the Saints a 10-5 lead.
The Mud Hens added an unearned run in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough as the Saints have taken the first two games of the series.
The same two teams meet in game three of a six-game series at 5:35 p.m. (CT) at Fifth Third Field on Thursday. The Saints send RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (1-0, 3.29) to the mound against Mud Hens RHP Bryan Garcia (2-3, 3.52). The game can be seen on MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.
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