Another Day, Another Slam in Saints’ Trip to Louisville

2023 Season: Game 133-138 Recaps – Game Dates September 5-10, 2023

By CAP’N JOHN CLINGER

Note: The Saints began the week three games out of a potential triple-A International League playoff spot with 18 games remaining as they opened a 6-game series in Louisville against the Bats. Game times this week are 5:35 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 6:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12:05 p.m. Sunday.

St. Paul Saints 13, Louisville Bats 8
Wednesday, Sept. 6

It was Trevor Larnach tonight (Wednesday) as the Saints hit another grand slam home run to defeat the Bats, 13-3, and take a 2-0 lead in the 6-game road series.

After the Saints squandered a big lead to go from leading, 6-2, to trailing, 8-6, the local lads scored 7 in the top of the 9^th on an RBI single by Helman, a 2-run double by major league rehabber Kirilloff, and Larnach’s blast.

St. Paul also got a 4-bagger from Helman and one by Larnach, his first of 2. They needed all those runs because three Saints relievers surrendered that 6-2 lead by giving up 5 runs in the bottom of the 8th, including a grand salami by the Bats. Louisville kept plenty of men on base thanks to 11 walks by Saints pitchers. Starting pitcher Festa had a 2-0 lead when he left the game after 3 innings. Festa allowed 3 hits and walked 6 batters while striking out another half-dozen Bats batsmen.

Larnach’s grand slam, the first of his career, was the Saints’ 13^th of the season, the most in professional baseball at any level.

The Saints are still 3 games behind in the race for a playoff spot in triple-A International League playoffs because 4 of the 5 teams ahead of them also won tonight.

St. Paul Saints 11, Louisville Bats 3
Tuesday, Sept. 5

Brooks Lee, the No. 2 prospect in the Twins organization, smashed a 415-foot grand slam to left-center field to help the Saints end a 3-game losing streak with an 11-3 win over the Louisville Bats. But the standings deficit stayed at 3 games with 5 teams ahead of them.

The Saints also got a 3-run double from Helman, who played his first game since a shoulder injury May 11, and a 2-run homer from Severino. Severino’s second roundtripper as a Saint gave him 30 for the minor league season (28 at double-A Wichita), only the eighth player to hit 30 at any level of the minors.

Note: The 12 grand slams for the Saints this year are the most at any level of American baseball.

The Saints pitched by committee again -- with Enlow pitching the first three innings and McMahon, Schulfer, Balazovic and Brice chipping in – and scattered 9 singles while striking out 8 Bats batsmen.

How to Hear and See the Saints

All games on KFAN Plus (96.7 FM), I-Heart app, MiLB.TV, Bally app (Apple only); home games on local television public programming (consult your TV listings); Saturday and Sunday home games televised on WUCW (The CW Network).

Notes

Go to gzrnetwork.com to receive my blog after every Saints game.