Saints’ Ninth Inning Rally Falls Short in 6-4 Loss to Indianapolis
September 22, 2022 – International League (IL) – St. Paul Saints News Release
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The St. Paul Saints put up a fight late loading the bases in the ninth, but couldn’t get the big hit in a 6-4 loss to the Indianapolis Indians on Thursday night at Victory Field. The loss is the eighth consecutive road loss, one shy of the franchise record of nine.
With the Saints down 6-1 in the eighth, they mounted a comeback. With one out, Roy Morales walked. With two outs Nash Knight singled him to second. Andrew Bechtold brought both runners home with a double to right-center cutting the deficit to 6-3.
In the ninth, the Saints made it interesting. With one out Michael Helman singled to left. He finished the night 3-5 with a double and two runs scored Cole Sturgeon was then hit by a pitch and Ryan Jeffers singled to right loading the bases. Jeffers went 1-4 with a walk. Roy Morales finished off a perfect night with an RBI single to left getting the Saints to within 6-4. Morales went 3-3 with a RBI, run scored, and two walks. The Saints would get no closer, however, as Chris Williams and Knight struck out to end the game.
The Saints jumped on top in the first as Helman led off the game with a double down the third base line and he came into score on a Sturgeon single to center making it 1-0.
The Indians sent eight men to the plate in the third and plated three runs off Saints starter Randy Dobnak. Jared Oliva led off with a double and Hoy Park singled him home tying the game at one. Tucupito Marcano followed with a single to left putting runners at first and second. Endy Rodriguez then reached on an error when Dobnak covered first and dropped a throw from second baseman Andrew Bechtold allowing Park to score giving the Indians a 2-1 lead. A ground ball double play by Malcom Nunez scored Marcano making it 3-1.
In the sixth, the Indians doubled their run total. It started with a solo homer from Mason Martin, his 18th of the season, making it 4-1. Jared Oliva walked, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Marcano walked. Rodriguez came through with a two-run triple giving the Indians a 6-1 lead.
The same two teams meet in game five of the six-game series on Friday night at 6:05 p.m. (CT). The Saint send RHP Dereck Rodríguez (7-4, 4.02) to the mound against Indians RHP Peter Solomon (0-0, 8.10). The game can be seen on MiLB.TV and heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.
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