“Just Doubles and Triples,” Williams Asks of Teammate; Saints Win, 6-3

2023 Season: Game 144 Recap – Sept. 20

By CAP’N JOHN CLINGER

After hitting a Saints triple-A franchise record 21^st home run of the season last night (Wednesday) at CHS Field, Chris Williams asked teammate Jair Camargo for a small favor.

“Just doubles and triples for the rest of the week,” Williams requested of Camargo. “We laughed about it.” Before Williams’ 21^st, Camargo (2023) and Brent Rooker (2021) shared the record with Williams.

The Saints defeated the Toledo MudHens, 6-3, with Williams’ 3-run blast to left field putting them ahead to stay. Their record improved to 82-63 (39-32 in the season’s 2^nd half) with four games left. The local lads had hoped to win the 2^nd half, then an International League playoff against Norfolk.

That outcome would have sent the Saints, as sole representative of the 20-team Il, to Las Vegas for the overall triple-A championship series against the 10-team California League winner. (20 IL teams, 10 Cali teams, one team from each league in the playoffs. Yeah, that makes sense!)

“Now instead of going to Las Vegas we’re going to try to win six games and finish the season strong,” Williams said.

To show you the team-first, statistics-don’t-matter attitude of these young major league aspirants, Williams was shocked to learn how many grand slam home runs the team has hit – 13, an International League record going back to at least the beginning of the statcast era in 2005.

“I would have guessed about 7,” Williams postulated. “That’s crazy.” He praised the Saints’ coaches for the team’s grand salami success, which at 13 is the best at any level of American baseball this year. Camargo and Williams each have 3 slams, so Camargo may at least tie Williams there even if he can only muster doubles and triples the rest of the way.

Shortstop Lee would have been the second star if this were hockey. Lee drove in one run with a double in the first and deposited a towering solo homer onto the roof behind the Spire porch.

Saints starter Woods Richardson went two outs into the 6^th inning and notched his 7^th win in his last 8 decisions. He gave up 7 hits in 5 2/3 innings, walked 2 batters and struck out 4. A Saints double play saved him in the 5^th inning after the first batters hit a double and a single.

The season-ending series continues tonight (Thursday) at 6:37 p.m. Friday and Saturday games will also start at 6:37, and Sunday’s season finale will begin at 12:07 p.m.

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

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