Dobnak Sharp, Saints’ Hitting Timely in 4-2 Win over MudHens

2023 Season: Game 146 Recap – Sept. 21

By CAP’N JOHN CLINGER

The Saints faced two former Minnesota Twins pitchers last night (Thursday) at CHS Field. One kept them off the scoreboard for six innings. The other -- not so much. And when the visiting Toledo MudHens were at bat, the Saints had an ex-Twin of their own on the mound.

This one went the Saints’ way. Randy Dobnak pitched 6 innings and gave up just one run on 3 hits, striking out 7 MudHens, and the Saints rallied to win, 4-2. And oh, by the way, present Twin Byron Buxton contributed to the victory in his first night of a “major league rehab” (MLR) assignment.

With wins the last three nights, the Saints are halfway to a sweep of their final series of the season. Their record stands at 83-63 in the triple-A International League.

The Saints scored 4 runs in the 7^th to overtake the visitors, but not until after their first ex-Twins mound opponent, Bryan Sammons (drafted by Minnesota in 2017), left with a 1-0 lead. Sammons gave up only 4 hits and struck out 8 batters in his 6-inning shutout effort.

Enter Andrew Vasquez, another former Twins draft pick (2015) who actually made it to the big leagues with the Twins in 2018. He inherited a 2-0 lead because the MudHens scored a run off Bechtold in the top of the 7^th. Vasquez didn’t help himself with a hit batsman and a wild pitch in his two-thirds of an inning, but he also was victimized by a horrible error and the Saints didn’t exactly tear the cover off the ball.

Lee started the winning rally in the bottom of the 7^th with a sharp single to left on the first pitch of Vasquez’s appearance. Garlick hit a grounder to third base and the fielder tried to force Lee out at 2^nd, but the throw sailed 10 feet wide of the bag and way into right field, allowing Lee to score and Garlick to reach 3^rd. Vasquez hit the next batter, Camargo, to put him on 1^st, then threw his next pitch to the backstop. Garlick raced home to tie the game, 2-2.

Vasquez’s troubles were only half over. After striking out Celestino, he yielded a single to Perez that brought Camargo home. Then the Toledo hurler gave up a single to Helman, ending his night. Hill was brought in to replace Vasquez and face Buxton. Buxton brought the announced crowd of 6,547 humans to their feet with a soft single that scored Perez with the fourth run. Buxton exited for a pinch runner and wound up going 1-for-4 including two strikeouts against the Automatic Ball-Strike system.

The season-ending series continues tonight (Friday) at 6:37 p.m. Saturday’s game 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

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