The Winnipeg Goldeyes have always been a thorn in the side of the St. Paul Saints, and that continued on Thursday night when the teams faced each other for the first time this season. The Goldeyes used multiple home runs to beat the Saints 16-5 in front of 8,314 fans at CHS Field.
Winnipeg got the scoring started in the top of the first when Josh Romanski made his return to the Goldeyes by launching a solo home run to the home run porch in right field.
Unfortunately for the Saints, that was just the beginning as the wheels fell off the train in the second inning when Winnipeg scored eight runs and chased Saints starter Jake Esch from the game after just 1.2 innings.
Grant Heyman started the inning for Winnipeg with a single to right field, and also picked up a double to center field later in the inning. In total, 13 batters stepped up to the plate, with six hits for the Goldeyes before Saints pitcher Ryan Boelter was able to wiggle out of the inning with a strikeout of Tucker Nathans.
St. Paul picked up two runs in the fourth when Max Murphy and Brady Shoemaker led off with back-to-back hits. Both scored, with Murphy crossing the plate on a groundout by Noah Perio Jr. and Shoemaker crossing after a single from Anthony Phillips.
The Saints had a great chance to score some runs in the sixth when they loaded the bases with just one out, but Phillips ended the inning by grounding into a double play to kill the scoring chance.
The Saints picked up three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning thanks to five hits, including doubles from Connor Olson and Perio, with the latter driving in one run. Shoemaker picked up his fourth hit of the game with an infield single and scored on Perio’s double.
The Goldeyes weren’t fazed by the Saints putting up runs, as they responded in the ninth with five runs, three of them via Josh Mazzola’s home run to left field to extend the lead to 16-5.
The Saints were unable to score any runs in their half of the ninth, as Cameron McVey set them down in order with two strikeouts to end the game and give Winnipeg its 17th win of the season. St. Paul fell to 19-13 this season.
The two teams will play game two of the four-game series on Friday night when the Saints will send Matt Solter to the mound. He will be opposed by Mitchell Lambson. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
Notes
- The Saints lost catcher Justin O’Conner during the Chicago portion of their last road trip after he took a foul tip off his hand. He was placed on the disabled list, and the Saints signed rookie Connor Olson to take his place. Olson is from Osseo and graduated this spring from Concordia-St. Paul.
- The Saints also brought back a former player, as shortstop Anthony Phillips was added to the roster on Thursday afternoon. Phillips played just one season with the Saints (2015) but was one of the most talented shortstops in team history. Phillips was with the Colorado Rockies organization, splitting time between Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque this season prior to signing with St. Paul.
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